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<DATE>2014-05-20</DATE>
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<NAME>Olivia Bottum</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>EIGHT SERMONS, PREACHED BY IOHN PRIDEAVX, DOCTOR OF Diuinity, <HI>Regius Profe&s;&s;or,</HI> Vice-Chan|cellor of the Vniuer&s;ity of Oxford, <HI>and Rector of Exceter Colledge.</HI></P>
<P>THE SEVERALL TEXTS and Titles of the Sermons, follow <HI>in the next leafe.</HI></P>
<P>Imprinted at London by <HI>Felix Kyngston,</HI> for <HI>Iohn Budge,</HI> and are to be &s;old at his &s;hop in Pauls Church-yard, at the &s;igne of the greene Dragon. 1621.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="table of contents">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>THE SEVERALL TEXTS AND TITLES OF THE Sermons contained in this <HI>Booke.</HI></HEAD>
<LIST>
<HEAD>Chri&s;ts Coun&s;ell for ending Law Ca&s;es, in two Sermons.</HEAD>
<ITEM><HI>MATTH. 5.25.</HI> Agree with thine aduer&s;ary, &amp;c.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>Ephe&s;us Back-&s;liding.</HEAD>
<ITEM><HI>REVEL. 2.4.</HI> Neuerthele&s;&s;e, I haue &s;omewhat, &amp;c.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>A Chri&s;tians free-will Offring.</HEAD>
<ITEM><HI>PSAL. 110.3.</HI> In the day of thy Power &s;hall the, &amp;c.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>The fir&s;t fruits of the Re&s;urrection.</HEAD>
<ITEM><HI>1. COR. 15.20.</HI> But now Chri&s;t is ri&s;en from, &amp;c.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>Gowries Con&s;piracie.</HEAD>
<ITEM><HI>2. SAM. 20.1.</HI> And there happened to be there, &amp;c.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>Higgaion &amp; Selah, for the di&s;couery of the Powder-plot.</HEAD>
<ITEM><HI>PSAL. 9.19.</HI> The Lord is knowne by the, &amp;c.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>Hezekiahs &s;ickne&s;&s;e and recouery.</HEAD>
<ITEM><HI>2. CHRON. 32.24.</HI> In tho&s;e dayes Hezekiah, &amp;c.</ITEM>
</LIST>
</DIV1>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="3">
<PB REF="3" MS="y">
<P>CHRISTS COVNSELL FOR ENDING LAW CASES.</P>
<P>AS IT HATH BEENE DELIVE|RED IN TWO SERMONS VPON the fiue and twentieth ver&s;e of the fifth <HI>of Matthew.</HI></P>
<P>By IOHN PRIDEAVX, Doctor of Di|uinity, <HI>Regius Profe&s;&s;or,</HI> and Rector of <HI>Exceter Colledge.</HI></P>
<Q><BIBL><HI>MATTH. 5.9.</HI></BIBL>
<P>Ble&s;&s;ed are the Peace-makers.</P></Q>
<P>Imprinted at London by <HI>Felix Kyngston,</HI> for <HI>Iohn Budge,</HI> and are to be &s;old at his &s;hop in Pauls Church-yard, at the &s;igne of the greene Dragon. 1621.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="4">
<PB N="3" REF="4">
<HEAD>TO THE WOR|SHIPFVLL MY VERY WOR|THY KINSMAN, EDMVND PRI|AVX, E&s;quire, Coun&s;eller at Law, <HI>and Mistris</HI> MARY PRIDEAVX, his vertuous, and religious Wife.</HEAD>
<P>_THe many kindne&s;&s;es I haue heretofore receiued from you both, haue long &s;ithens requi|red a fuller acknowledgement, then yet I could euer meete with opportunity to expre&s;&s;e, how&s;oeuer I much de&s;ired it. In which re&s;pect being ouer-intreated by &s;ome friends, to publi&s;h the&s;e <HI>Sermons,</HI> I made bold to pa&s;&s;e them vnder your <HI>names,</HI> a&s;&s;ured by former incouragements, of your louing acceptance. They were my first <HI>a&s;&s;aies</HI> in this kinde, which riper iudgements will &s;oone di&s;cerne, both in &s;undry <HI>defects,</HI> and &s;uperfluities. But my de&s;ire to doe good to the <HI>meane&s;t,</HI> &s;hall in part (I trust) excu&s;e me to all.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 1.14.</NOTE> For <HI>we are all debtors</HI> (with ble&s;&s;ed S. <HI>Paul</HI>) both to the <HI>wi&s;e,</HI> and <HI>vnwi&s;e.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Prou. 11.30.</NOTE> And as it must be our <HI>wi&s;|dome</HI> e&s;pecially, <HI>to winne &s;oules:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ion. 1.21.</NOTE> &s;o it behooueth all <HI>Gods children</HI> to <HI>receiue</HI> from vs with <HI>meekne&s;&s;e,</HI>
<PB N="4" REF="5"> his <HI>&s;tatutes</HI> and <HI>iudgements.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 4.6.</NOTE> <HI>For this is your wi&s;|dome, and your vnder&s;tanding, in the &s;ight of the nations, which &s;hall heare all the&s;e &s;tatutes, and &s;ay, Surely this is a wi&s;e and vnder&s;tanding peo|ple.</HI> Your <HI>exemplary practice</HI> herein (which your <HI>Neighbours</HI> and <HI>Country</HI> can well testifie) my &s;elfe to my great comfort, haue often ob&s;erued, both in <HI>pri|uate prayers,</HI> duely continued in your well-ordered <HI>family,</HI> and publike esteeme of the <HI>Word,</HI> and its true <HI>Profe&s;&s;ors.</HI> To which if this &s;mall <HI>Mite</HI> of mine may adde the least life, or increa&s;e, I haue attained my purpo&s;e; in which I rest</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Yours euer in Chri&s;t to be di&s;po&s;ed, IOHN PRIDEAVX.</SIGNED> <DATELINE><HI>From Exceter Colledge in Oxford.</HI> <DATE><HI>October. 12.</HI></DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="sermon">
<PB N="5" REF="5">
<HEAD>CHRISTS COVN|SELL FOR ENDING, LAW CASES.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>MATTH. 5.25.</HI></BIBL>
<P>Agree with thine aduer&s;ary quickly, whilest thou art in the way with him: lest thine aduer&s;ary deliuer thee to the Iudge, and the Iudge deliuer thee to the Sergeant, and thou be cast into pri&s;on.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P N="1">1 _THe&s;e words (Wor&s;hip|full and Beloued) are a part of that large and heauenly Sermon, which our <HI>Sauiour</HI> made in the <HI>Mount</HI> to his <HI>Di&s;ciples,</HI> and a great <HI>multitude,</HI> as appeareth in the fir&s;t ver&s;e of this Chapter. A learned man cals it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Perkins in his expo&s;ition of Chri&s;ts Sermon in the Mount.</NOTE> the <HI>key of the whole Bible;</HI> becau&s;e by it is opened the &s;umme of the <HI>Old</HI> and <HI>New</HI> Te&s;tament; and in that &s;en&s;e my text may be tearmed, the chiefe&s;t <HI>ward</HI> of this <HI>key;</HI> as being that which fir&s;t di&s;clo|&s;eth the corrupt <HI>Glo&s;&s;es</HI> of the <HI>Phari&s;es,</HI> and whereupon our <HI>Sauiour</HI> e&s;pecially in&s;i&s;teth: Who hauing &s;hewed before, that the <HI>&s;ixth Commande|ment,</HI>
<PB N="6" REF="6"> not onely forbiddeth <HI>actuall murder,</HI> (as the <HI>Phari&s;es</HI> would gro&s;ly haue it) but al&s;o <HI>rayling words,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver. 22. <GAP DESC="foreign">, vid. Bezae An|not. ibid.</NOTE> <HI>di&s;contented gestures, ra&s;h anger,</HI> (as the &s;e|uerall puni&s;hments declare, to which the&s;e things are liable) inferreth thereupon an effectu|all exhortation, to <HI>concord, loue,</HI> and <HI>charitie,</HI> and fir&s;t with their <HI>Brethren,</HI> in the two ver&s;es going immediatly before.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver. 23.</NOTE> <HI>If then thou bring thy gift vn|to the altar, and there remembrest, that thy brother hath ought against thee;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">24.</NOTE> <HI>leaue there thine offerring be|fore the altar, and goe thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother.</HI> And &s;econdly with their <HI>Aduer&s;a|ries,</HI> which is a higher &s;tep to perfection, in the words I haue read vnto you: <HI>Agree with thine aduer&s;ary quickly, whilest thou art in the way with him, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. The learned &s;eeme not to <HI>agree</HI> altogether about the &s;en&s;e and &s;cope of the&s;e words.<NOTE PLACE="marg">In hunc locum.</NOTE> Saint <HI>Chry&s;ostome</HI> takes only the letter, and extends it a|lone to &s;uch contentions, as happen betweene <HI>party,</HI> and <HI>party, here in this world,</HI> before <HI>a ciuill Magistrate;</HI> and of this mind al&s;o are <HI>Theophy|lact,</HI> and <HI>Euthymius,</HI> among the ancient; <HI>Brentius, Pellican,</HI> and <HI>Kemnitius,</HI> with &s;ome others, among the latter writers.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Vid. Thomae Caten.</NOTE> But <HI>Cyprian, Hilarie, Ambro&s;e, Hierome,</HI> and <HI>Augustine,</HI> with the re&s;t of the <HI>Fa|thers</HI> and <HI>Schoolemen,</HI> expound parabolically, <HI>the way,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">In <HI>5.</HI> Math.</NOTE> <HI>this life, the Iudge, Christ, the Sergeant, the An|gels, the pri&s;on, Hell.</HI> Both &s;ence are true (&s;aith <HI>Abulen&s;is</HI>) but the latter more principall; who&s;e opinion I the rather imbrace, becau&s;e it tendeth to agreement, for which I labour. To omit there|fore
<PB N="7" REF="6"> the curious di&s;cu&s;&s;ing of the poynt, how, and by what rea&s;ons, both interpretations may &s;tand, as fitter for the &s;chooles, then this place: I take the words to be vttered by way of a &s;imilitude, who&s;e <HI>&s;ubstance,</HI> or latter part, commonly called <GAP DESC="foreign">, is here omitted, as ea&s;ie to be gathered, by the &s;hadow, <GAP DESC="foreign">, or former part expre&s;&s;ed; it being v&s;uall in Scripture, and common talke; and in this particular enlarged, may carry this &s;en&s;e: <HI>If a creditor of thine, to whom thou art falne in band, &s;hould thereupon put thee in &s;uit; the law is o|pen, the Iudge must doe right, the penalty is impri&s;on|ment: were it not wi&s;dome, therefore for thee to ha|&s;ten, and agree, before it come to a triall, that &s;o by drawing the Court, thou mightst withdraw thy &s;elfe from danger? The like is thy ca&s;e here in this world, for brotherly reconciliation; whether thou be wron|ged, or haue wronged, &s;eeke peace, and en&s;ue it, and that now, in the acceptable time, &s;peedily without de|murres. For thou art way-laid by death, and knowest not how &s;oone thou &s;halt be arrested. If thou come out of charity before Gods tribunall &s;eate; the Angels are his Sergeants, hell his pri&s;on, diuels his hangmen, fire and brimstone his racke; iudgement must pa&s;&s;e, and execution &s;hall follow, and then to de&s;ire a compo|&s;ition will be too late.</HI> So that here you &s;ee (Belo|ued) what both opinions yeeld, to further, and per&s;wade this Chri&s;tianlike agreement: the <HI>first</HI> from the <HI>words,</HI> in regard of <HI>temporall damage,</HI> the <HI>&s;econd</HI> from the <HI>meaning,</HI> to auoid <HI>eternall vndoing.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>The &s;umme is an earnest motiue to Brotherly reconciliation with all men,</HI>
<PB N="8" REF="7"> and co~&s;i&s;teth as it plainely appeareth, of the&s;e two parts:
<LIST>
<ITEM>1 <HI>A Precept. Agree with thine aduer|&s;ary quickly, while&s;t thou art in the way with him.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>2 <HI>A rea&s;on thereof,</HI> in the words en&s;uing, <HI>le&s;t thine aduer&s;ary de|liuer thee to the Iudge, and the Iudge deliuer thee to the Sergeant, &amp;c.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>The <HI>precept</HI> (whereof only at this pre&s;ent, by Gods a&s;|&s;i&s;tance &amp; your Chri&s;tian patience I intend to en|treat) containeth in it the&s;e foure circum&s;tances, the
<LIST>
<ITEM>1 Matter whereof. Agree.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2 Party with whom. <HI>Thine aduer&s;ary.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>3 Time when. <HI>Quick|ly.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>4 The place where. <HI>Whiles thou art in the way with him.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P><HI>Agree with thine aduer&s;ary quickly, while&s;t thou art in the way with him.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Agree,</HI> as becommeth a <HI>man, with thine aduer|&s;ary,</HI> as it behooueth a <HI>Chri&s;tian, Quickly,</HI> to &s;hew thy <HI>willingnes,</HI> and <HI>while&s;t thou art in the way,</HI> to ex|pre&s;&s;e thy <HI>carefull prouidence.</HI> For by <HI>Agreeing,</HI> thou imitate&s;t thy <HI>Sauiour, with thine aduer&s;ary,</HI> thou excelle&s;t the <HI>Scribes</HI> and <HI>Phari&s;es, quickly,</HI> thou out-&s;trippe&s;t the <HI>&s;luggard,</HI> and <HI>whilest thou art in the way,</HI> thou preuente&s;t the danger that is to come. And therefore giue me leaue once more to inculcate, and repeate againe <HI>Agree,</HI> to &s;aue thy <HI>&s;elfe, with thy Aduer&s;ary,</HI> to win thy <HI>brother, quickly,</HI> to redeeme the <HI>time,</HI> and <HI>while&s;t thou art in the way,</HI> to &s;peed the better at thy iournies <HI>end.</HI></P>
<P N="4"><PB N="9" REF="7">4 <HI>Agree:</HI> The originall hath it in two words <GAP DESC="foreign">. Which <HI>tran&s;lators</HI> contend, who &s;hould expre&s;&s;e mo&s;t &s;ignificantly. The <HI>vulgar Latine</HI> giueth it to this &s;ence.<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">E&s;to con&s;enti|ens.</NOTE> <HI>Con&s;ent or thinke the &s;ame things with thine aduer&s;ary. Era&s;m&abus;,</HI><NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Habeto bene|uolentiam.</NOTE> <HI>Beare him good will. Ca&s;talion,</HI><NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Compone.</NOTE> <HI>Compound. Vatablus,</HI><NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Fac conuenias.</NOTE> <HI>See thou come to an agreement.</HI> The <HI>Syriac,</HI><NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> <HI>Be de&s;irous of his friend&s;hip.</HI> An old tran&s;lation which <HI>Saint Au|gu&s;tine</HI> &s;eemeth to approue,<NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">E&s;to concors.</NOTE> <HI>accord, compound,</HI> or, <HI>make a full atonement:</HI> which is al&s;o liked <HI>by Be|za,</HI> and in effect is the &s;ame with his:<NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">E&s;to amicus. Nec monet tan|tum vt animo ben&egrave; velimus ad+uer&s;ario, &s;ed vt cum eo tran&s;iga|mus, &amp;c. <HI>Luk. 12.58.</HI></NOTE> <HI>be friends let there be a perfect reconciliation,</HI> &s;ee there be an end <HI>of all brabbles betwixt you.</HI> For wee are not onely adui&s;ed (&s;aith he) <HI>to wi&s;h well to our aduer&s;a|ry,</HI> and there let it re&s;t; <HI>but to go to him, talke with him, conclude with him,</HI> and as Saint <HI>Luke</HI> hath it, Chap. 12.58. <HI>Deliuer our &s;elues from any thing he hath against vs.</HI> All which is included in this one word <HI>agree,</HI> &amp; yeeldeth this maine <HI>doctrine</HI> be|&s;ides many other.</P>
<P><HI>That it is a nece&s;&s;ary duty for euery true Chri&s;tian to &s;eeke reconciliation:</HI></P>
<P>A <HI>nece&s;&s;ary duety</HI> (I &s;ay) of <HI>euery true Chri&s;tian,</HI> not onely coldly to admit, or to be content it &s;hould be &s;o: but al&s;o earne&s;tly to &s;eeke, faithful|ly to bring about, and ioyfully to embrace an ab&s;olute, hearty, and brotherly reconciliation.</P>
<P N="5">5 The proofes wherof are &s;o many, and preg|nant throughout all the Booke of God, that what&s;oeuer is there written, may &s;erue for a te&s;timony. All the <HI>long art</HI> of <HI>Diuinity,</HI> is compri&s;ed in this one <HI>&s;hort</HI> word, <HI>loue.</HI> As the A|po&s;tle
<PB N="10" REF="8"> ob&s;erueth, Ga1. 5.14.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 5.14.</NOTE> <HI>Loue the Lord thy God, is the fir&s;t and great commmandement;</HI> and <HI>loue thy neighbour,</HI> is <HI>the &s;econd like vnto this; vpon which two hang the whole Law and the Prophets,</HI> Mat. 22.40.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 22.40.</NOTE> In regard whereof, the chiefe <HI>&s;ubiect</HI> of our <HI>Saui|ours praier,</HI> was <HI>vnity,</HI> Ioh. 17.21;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 17.21.</NOTE> his chiefe&s;t <HI>le|gacy, peace,</HI> Ioh. 14.27.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 14.27.</NOTE> And <HI>by this &s;hall all men know</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>that you are my di&s;ciples, if you loue one another.</HI> Ioh. 13.35.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 13 35.</NOTE> For as there is <HI>one body, one &s;pirit, one Lord, one faith, one bapti&s;me, one God and Father of all,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe. 4. vers. 4, 5, 6.</NOTE> who is <HI>aboue all, and through all and in you all:</HI> &s;o it behoueth the members of this <HI>body,</HI> the <HI>guided</HI> by this <HI>&s;pirit,</HI> the <HI>&s;eruants</HI> of this <HI>Lord,</HI> the <HI>partakers</HI> of this <HI>faith</HI> and <HI>bapti&s;me,</HI> the <HI>wor&s;hippers</HI> of this <HI>God,</HI> and <HI>children</HI> of this <HI>Father,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Jb. ver. <HI>2.</HI></NOTE> with <HI>all humblene&s;&s;e of minde,</HI> &amp; <HI>meekene&s;&s;e,</HI> and <HI>long &s;uffering</HI> (as the Apo&s;tle exhorteth) <HI>to &s;upport one another through loue, endeuoring to keepe the vnitie of the &s;pirit in the band of peace.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 25. 1.</NOTE> <HI>Three things</HI> (&s;aith the wi&s;e &s;on of <HI>Syrach) reioyce me, and by them, am I beautified before God and men: the v|nity of Brethren, the loue of Neighbours, and a man and his wife, that agree together.</HI> And therefore e|uer wil be remembred that good minde of faith|full <HI>Abraham,</HI> Gen. 13.8.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 13.8.</NOTE> who to cut off all <HI>de|bate</HI> betwixt his <HI>heardmen,</HI> and <HI>Lots;</HI> di&s;dained not to goe, the <HI>elder</HI> to the <HI>yonger,</HI> the <HI>vncle</HI> to the <HI>Nephew,</HI> the <HI>worthier</HI> to the <HI>inferior,</HI> in this kinde&s;t maner. <HI>Let there be, no &s;trife, I pray thee, betweene thee and mee, neither betweene mine heardmen, and thy heardmen, for we are brethren.</HI> The like was <HI>Io|&s;ephs</HI> coun&s;ell to his <HI>departing brethren,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 4.32.</NOTE> Gen. 45.24.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 45.24.</NOTE>
<PB N="11" REF="8"> <HI>Fall not out by the way.</HI> And <HI>the multitude</HI> of the fir&s;t <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> Act. 4.32. are &s;aid <HI>to be of one heart, and one &s;oule,</HI> in regard of the faithfull agreement which was betweene them. Whereupon <HI>the Au|thor of the Sermons ad fratres in Eremo,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ser. <HI>2.</HI> Qui pacem cor|dis, oris, &amp; ope|ris, non habet, Chri&s;tianus dici non habet, &amp;c.</NOTE> &s;ticketh not to inferre, <HI>That he that in heart and word, and work, contendeth not for this agreement, cannot be called a Chri&s;tian. He that re&s;teth not on this foundation, &s;etteth his life and foote in &s;lippery places, &s;ayleth in a tempest, walketh in a ruinous cliffe, &s;oweth on the &s;and,</HI> the <HI>new Ieru&s;alem</HI> being not a place for <HI>quarrellers</HI> (as Saint <HI>Ba&s;il</HI> grauely ob&s;erueth) but an <HI>inheri|tance</HI> and reward for <HI>gentle natures.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6 A le&s;&s;on <HI>(Beloued)</HI> for the&s;e <HI>contentious</HI> times, and <HI>dog-daies</HI> of ours, to remember vs, what wee are, whom we &s;erue, what is expected of vs, and how little we performe. The <HI>mercile&s;&s;e debtour</HI> in the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> &s;hould bee a patterne vnto vs all: Who for <HI>taking his brother</HI> by the <HI>throat,</HI> and ex|acting (as it &s;hould &s;eeme) no more, but his owne, receyued this doome of his Ma&s;ter,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 18.32.</NOTE> <HI>O euill &s;eruant, I forgaue thee all the debt becau&s;e thou pray|ed&s;t me: &s;hould&s;t not thou al&s;o haue had compa&s;sion</HI> on thy <HI>fellow &s;eruant, euen as I had pitty on thee?</HI> But wee are &s;o farre, either from fearing &s;uch <HI>Iudge|ments,</HI> or imitating <HI>this pittie,</HI> that like <HI>I&s;hmael</HI> (almo&s;t) we are become <HI>Wilde men,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 16.12.</NOTE> <HI>his hand a|gain&s;t euery man, and euery mans hand again&s;t him.</HI> So farre from <HI>&s;eeking</HI> this <HI>brotherly reconciliation,</HI> that being &s;ought vnto, we will &s;carce heare of it. But alas (&s;elfewild and incon&s;iderate man!) little do&s;t thou marke the &s;teps thou treade&s;t, or the
<PB N="12" REF="9"> downefall of this way, wherein thou po&s;te&s;t. Shall thy God bee called the <HI>Author of peace,</HI> and wilt <HI>thou</HI> continue a <HI>maintainer of di&s;&s;ention?</HI> &s;hall he receyue thee, who reiecte&s;t thy <HI>Brother?</HI> or &s;uppo&s;e thou wilt <HI>agree</HI> with him, who <HI>quar|relle&s;t</HI> with his, and thine owne fellow members? No, no, (Beloued) he hath taught vs otherwi&s;e. Our tre&s;pa&s;&s;es are forgiuen vs, but with this con|dition, <HI>as we forgiue them that tre&s;pa&s;se again&s;t vs.</HI> Where is thine aduer&s;ary (&s;aith he) who&s;e iniu|ries like the <HI>bloud of Abel</HI> cry vnto me for ven|geance?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 43.3.</NOTE> neuer looke me in the face, except your brother be with you. So true is that which <HI>Pel|lican</HI> hath on this place ob&s;erued: <HI>Non experieris Deum tibi propitium, ni&s;i proximus &s;entiet te &s;ibi pla|catum: Thou &s;halt not find that God is plea&s;ed with thee, before thy neighbour perceiue, thou art reconci|led vnto him. For as the &s;pirit of man</HI> (it is an old Authors &s;imilitude) <HI>neuer quickneth tho&s;e members that are cut a&s;under or broken,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Serm. <HI>2.</HI> ad fra|tres in Erem.</NOTE> <HI>vntill they bee iointed againe, and &s;et together: &s;o the Spirit of God neuer giueth life to vs, except we be bound together in the bond of peace.</HI> This prepareth vs to prayer, which mu&s;t be <HI>without wrath,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Tim. 2.8. Iam. 1.21.</NOTE> it fitteth vs to heare, which mu&s;t be with all <HI>meekenes,</HI> it prouideth vs for the Lords Supper, who accepteth no <HI>ghest</HI> without this <HI>Wedding garment.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 22.12. 1. Cor. 13.</NOTE> Though thou &s;peake <HI>with the tongs of men and Angels,</HI> ha&s;t the <HI>gift</HI> of <HI>prophe|&s;ie, knowe&s;t all &s;ecrets, canst remoue mountaines, giue&s;t thy goods to the poore, and thy body to be burned; all this is but &s;ounding bra&s;&s;e, and tinckling Cymbals.</HI> Vaunt of no &s;uch offerings at the Lords Altar,
<PB N="13" REF="9"> before thou <HI>go,</HI> &amp; be <HI>reconciled to thy brother.</HI> Go (I &s;ay) not expect when he will come vnto thee, nor tarry till thou happen to meete him; but &s;eeke him out of purpo&s;e, enquire for him, commune with him. And where thy pre&s;ence cannot, thy de&s;ire of peace (&s;aith <HI>Gregory</HI>) mu&s;t performe that office. Satisfie him in thought,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Dialog. l. <HI>4.</HI></NOTE> whom thy thoughts haue wronged; in words make amends, for thy iniurious &s;peeches; as al&s;o for thy deeds, let thy deeds recompence. For why &s;hould our &s;tubbornne&s;&s; &s;o farre ouerma&s;ter vs; as to make our be&s;t &s;eruices vnacceptable to our King and Ma&s;ter? <GAP DESC="foreign">; O the admirable benignitie, and vn&s;peakable goodne&s;&s;e of God (&s;aith that golden-mouthed Father <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome</HI> on this place!) Hee de&s;pi&s;eth his owne <HI>wor&s;hip,</HI> to main|taine thy <HI>charitie,</HI> he will not be <HI>found</HI> of thee, till thou ha&s;t <HI>&s;ought</HI> this <HI>reconciliation.</HI> Neuer pray, come not at Sermons, wor&s;hip me not all (&s;aith our Lord God) <HI>what haue I to doe with your ap|pointed fea&s;ts and &s;olemne a&s;semblies?</HI> my &s;oule ha|teth the oblations of &s;uch as fo&s;ter, or bring with them hatred in their &s;oules. Wherefore <HI>(Beloued</HI> brethren) let vs &s;tudy to agree, that we may be beloued, and &s;eeke peace here, that wee may enioy it in <HI>heauen.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Prou. 30.27.</NOTE> The very gra&s;hoppers can goe forth <HI>quietly altogether by bands</HI> (as the Wi&s;eman telleth vs) and the <HI>kingdome of Satan is not de|uided again&s;t it &s;elfe.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 12.26.</NOTE> Now, if you will further know the party with whom wee are thus to agree, it followeth: <HI>Thy Aduer&s;arie]</HI> which is the <HI>&s;econd circumstance</HI> I before propo&s;ed,
<PB N="12" REF="10">
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<PB N="13" REF="10">
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<PB N="14" REF="11"> and commeth here in order to bee likewi&s;e handled.</P>
<P N="7">7 <HI>Agree with thine Aduer&s;ary.]</HI> The word <GAP DESC="foreign"> in the originall is not &s;o largely taken, as <HI>aduer&s;arius</HI> in the Latine, which may &s;ignifie any kinde of enemy: but rather as we tearme in <HI>Eng|li&s;h</HI> in our Law matters, the <HI>plaintife,</HI> in regard of the <HI>defendant;</HI> or the <HI>defendant,</HI> in re&s;pect of the <HI>plaintife,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. <HI>1.</HI> de pur|gat. c. <HI>7.</HI></NOTE> to be an aduer&s;arie. <HI>Aduer&s;arius litis</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Bellarmine</HI> in a pa&s;&s;age vpon this place) <HI>non iniuriae:</HI> an Aduer&s;ary, not &s;o much for an iniurie offered, as in a triall to be had; and therefore may not &s;o properly be expounded an <HI>enemie,</HI> as a friend or neighbour of ours, with whom we haue a ca&s;e in controuer&s;ie. What is an&s;werable to this in the &s;imilitude, diuers are of diuers opini|ons. Some would haue this <HI>Aduer&s;ary</HI> to be the <HI>Deuil,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Vid. Buca&s;eni. Enarrat. in. <HI>5.</HI> Math. &amp; Beaux-am. Har|mon. Euang. Tom. <HI>2.</HI> pag. <HI>20. 2.</HI> Lib. <HI>1.</HI> de. &s;erm. Dom. in. mont. cap. <HI>22.</HI></NOTE> as <HI>Origen, Euthymius, Theophylact,</HI> with whom we are to agree, (as S^t <HI>Hierome expounds it</HI>) by renouncing him wholy, as our promi&s;e was in bapti&s;me, and &s;o &s;haking him off, that hereafter before the Iudge of heauen, he may haue no acti|on again&s;t vs. But <HI>Caluin</HI> confutes this mainely; following herein Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine,</HI> who&s;e argu|ment is from the Greeke word <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>be friends,</HI> or a <HI>well-willer:</HI> but betweene the <HI>Deuill</HI> &amp; <HI>vs</HI> there &s;hould be no &s;uch commerce, or familiari|tie. Others by <HI>aduer&s;ary</HI> vnder&s;tand the <HI>fle&s;h.</HI> This al&s;o liketh not Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine,</HI> neither Saint <HI>Hie|rome,</HI> who thinke it hard, that the &s;pirit &s;hould a|gree with the fle&s;h, which euer lu&s;teth, and re|belleth again&s;t it. Saint <HI>Ambro&s;e</HI> would haue
<PB N="15" REF="11"> this aduer&s;ary to bee &s;inne. But what peace, or compo&s;ition &s;hould be with that, which wee are bound by all meanes, to root out, and extingui&s;h? Others therefore come neerer the truth, as <HI>Atha|na&s;ius, Augu&s;tine, Gregory,</HI> and <HI>Beda,</HI> who would haue this aduer&s;ary to be either <HI>God,</HI> or his <HI>law,</HI> or our <HI>owne con&s;ciences.</HI> And &s;urely the be&s;t way it is for vs to curry fauour with the&s;e; whiles op|portunitie and time is granted vs. Yet I take the expo&s;ition of <HI>Hilary; An&s;elme,</HI> and Saint <HI>Hierome,</HI> to bee more naturall for this place; who go no further then the letter, but by <HI>Aduer&s;ary</HI> vnder&s;ta~d <HI>Dominu~ litis, quod e&s;t commune nomen vtrique parti litiganti, as (Tremelius</HI> notes on the <HI>Siriack</HI> word,) any man that hath ought again&s;t vs, or we again&s;t him; importing no other thing, but that the of|fender &s;hould &s;eeke, and the offended embrace, any Chri&s;tianlike agreement, without running to extremities. Whereupon I ground this gene|rall doctrine.</P>
<P><HI>That the goint to lawe of Chri&s;tians, where a good end in priuate may be hoped for, or had, is contrarie to that cour&s;e of proceeding, which our Sauiour here pre|&s;cribes in Iudiciall cau&s;es.</HI></P>
<P N="8">8 A doctrine depending on the former, but yet in &s;uch a &s;ort, that wheras there I in&s;i&s;ted in generall, vpon the matter to be fought, here I de|clare in particular, the manner how to find it: e|&s;pecially in &s;uch ca&s;es, as breed the greate&s;t iarres. Wherein I would not be mi&s;taken, as though I went about to taxe &s;uch cour&s;es, or vocations, as our Common-wealth alloweth; or held all pub|like
<PB N="16" REF="12"> trials before a ciuill Magi&s;trate, vnnece&s;&s;ary. No, my text cleane da&s;heth &s;uch <HI>Anabapti&s;ticall conceits,</HI> wherein I finde an <HI>accu&s;er,</HI> a <HI>Iudge,</HI> a <HI>Ser|geant,</HI> a <HI>pri&s;on,</HI> and all approued. My purpo&s;e is therefore only to &s;hew, what mutuall moderati|on &s;hould bee practi&s;ed of vs all; in our priuate differences, and affaires. For as not to agree in &s;uch, di&s;&s;olueth the bands of charitie: &s;o in wick|ednes to con&s;ent with any, is felony, trea&s;on, or con&s;piracie. So <HI>Herod</HI> &amp; <HI>Pilate</HI> were made <HI>friends, Luke</HI> 23.12.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 23.12.</NOTE> but yet continued <HI>enemies</HI> to our <HI>Sa|uiour. Cutpur&s;es con&s;ent, Pro.</HI> 1.14.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prou. 1.14.</NOTE> but it is to do a <HI>mi&s;chiefe;</HI> and &s;uch cordes neuer hold longer, then the <HI>&s;trangling</HI> of their <HI>ma&s;ters.</HI> But our cau&s;es &s;hould be <HI>lawfull,</HI> in which we &s;hould <HI>agree,</HI> and <HI>per&s;onall,</HI> which wrong not <HI>e&s;tates,</HI> and of that na|ture, which need not &s;o tedious a trauer&s;ing. Of which the Apo&s;tle &s;peaketh, 1. <HI>Cor.</HI> 6.7.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Cor. 6.7.</NOTE> <HI>Now there|fore, there is vtterly a fault among you, becau&s;e you go to law one with another: why rather &s;uffer you not wrong? why &s;u&s;taine you not harme?</HI> See how ear|ne&s;tly he pre&s;&s;eth that, which our <HI>Sauiour</HI> before had preached, <HI>Mat.</HI> 5.40.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5.40.</NOTE> <HI>If any man will &s;ue thee at the law, and take away thy coate, let him haue thy cloake al&s;o.</HI> That is, rather then &s;eeke priuate re|uenge, which belongeth vnto the <HI>Lord, and not to thee,</HI> bee content to lo&s;e a garment, or more of thy temporall goods: for hee ea&s;ily contemneth &s;uch (&s;aith <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome</HI>) who hopeth for <HI>eternall trea&s;ures</HI> in heauen.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Jn Mat. c.</HI> 5. <HI>hom.</HI> 11. Gen. 39.12.</NOTE> Hee will leaue his <HI>garment</HI> with <HI>Io&s;eph,</HI> in the hand of his <HI>mi&s;tre&s;&s;e,</HI> to e&s;cape vn&s;potted with the vaile of hone&s;ty. And if wee
<PB N="17" REF="12"> mu&s;t forgoe &s;uch nece&s;&s;aries, (&s;aith Saint<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Si de nece&s;&s;a|rijs imperatum e&s;t, quant&ograve; ma|gis &s;uperflua contemnere con|uenit? De Ser. Dom. in mont. l. <HI>1.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI>) as <HI>coat</HI> or <HI>cloke,</HI> or the like for qui|etne&s;&s;e &s;ake: how much more &s;hould wee con|temne things of le&s;&s;er value, e&s;pecially at the command of &s;uch a <HI>Lord</HI> and <HI>Ma&s;ter,</HI> who will certainely &s;ee we &s;hall be no lo&s;ers by it?</P>
<P N="9">9 This is <HI>coun&s;ell</HI> (Beloued) of the <HI>Great Law|giuer,</HI> not varying with the times, but as a law of the <HI>Medes</HI> and <HI>Per&s;ians,</HI> that <HI>altereth not.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">He&s;t. 1.19.</NOTE> Which if we could be content to follow, by curbing and ouertopping our impatient affections, would &s;aue vs much trauell, great charges, hot bicke|rings, infinite di&s;contents, &amp; euer end our cau&s;es to our true&s;t aduantage.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Plutarc. in Pyrrh.</NOTE> Wee read in <HI>Plutarch</HI> in the life of <HI>Pyrrhus,</HI> of one <HI>Cyneas,</HI> a man of great imployment about that King, who vnder|&s;tanding that at the <HI>Tarentines entreatie,</HI> the King his ma&s;ter was re&s;olued to make war on the <HI>Romans,</HI> tooke occa&s;ion to di&s;cour&s;e with him in this &s;ort: It is reported (O King) (&s;aith hee) that the <HI>Romans,</HI> are great Warriers, and haue large command of pui&s;&s;ant nations; put ca&s;e wee ouer|come them, what benefit &s;hall wee get thereby? <HI>Pyrrhus</HI> an&s;wered, That is que&s;tion, which few wi&s;e would aske: why then, <HI>all Italy</HI> and <HI>Greece</HI> are &s;traight at our command. <HI>Cyneas</HI> paw&s;ing a while, replied: But when wee haue <HI>Italy, and Greece,</HI> what &s;hall wee doe then? <HI>Pyrrhus</HI> not finding his meaning; <HI>Sicily</HI> (&s;aith he) thou know|e&s;t is hard adioyning to vs, and verie well may be our next conque&s;t. But hauing that (quoth <HI>Cyneas</HI>) &s;hall our warres bee ended? That were a
<PB N="18" REF="13"> ie&s;t (quoth <HI>Pyrrhus</HI>) for who would not then to <HI>Af|fricke,</HI> and &s;o to <HI>Carthage?</HI> the pa&s;&s;age is not dange|rous, the victorie a&s;&s;ured. True indeed (&s;aith <HI>Cyne|as</HI>) but when we haue all in our hands, what &s;hall we doe in the end? Then <HI>Pyrrhus</HI> breakes out a laughing. We will then, good <HI>Cyneas</HI> (quoth he) <HI>be quiet, and take our ea&s;e, and make fea&s;ts euery day, and be as merry one with another as wee can po&s;sibly.</HI> Then <HI>Cyneas</HI> hauing that he would, thus clo&s;eth with him, And <HI>what letteth vs now (my Lord) to be merry, and quiet together, &s;ith wee enioy that pre&s;ent without further trauell, and trouble, which we are now a &s;eeking with &s;uch bloud&s;hed and danger; &amp; yet we knowe not whether euer wee &s;hall attaine vnto it, after that we haue &s;uffered, and cau&s;ed others to &s;uffer infinite &s;orrowes and calamities?</HI> The application is &s;o manife&s;t, that I neede not &s;tand vpon it. For aske but our contentions wranglers what they ayme at by their going to law, and their vexing one another: their an&s;were can be no other but to <HI>right them&s;elues,</HI> that at length <HI>they may liue qui|etly.</HI> But <HI>quiet</HI> thy bo&s;ome enemies at home (who&s;oeuer thou art) and thy cau&s;e &s;hall be en|ded, before the action be entred. For <HI>through pride man maketh contentions,</HI> Pro. 13.10.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 13.10.</NOTE> Could&s;t thou but once take order with this malicious af|fection, 'twere ea&s;ie to compound with thy grea|te&s;t aduer&s;arie?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Di&s;cordia filia inanis gloriae, Greg. Mor. l. <HI>13.</HI> c. <HI>31.</HI> Aquin. <HI>2. 2</HI>^ae. q. <HI>37.</HI> art. <HI>2.</HI></NOTE> But thou can&s;t not be &s;o <HI>ba&s;e</HI> as to yeeld vnto him; and yet wilt thou be &s;o <HI>ba&s;e</HI> as to yeeld vnto the Diuell? Harken to the ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Apo&s;tle: Let not the &s;unne goe downe vpon thy wrath,</HI> Eph. 4.26.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph 4.26.</NOTE> and it immediately followeth, <HI>Neither
<PB N="19" REF="13"> giue place vnto the Deuill.</HI> But thine <HI>aduer&s;ary</HI> pro|uokes thee to <HI>&s;trife,</HI> and thou can&s;t not endure it. But thy <HI>Sauior</HI> commands thee to agree, and wilt not obey him? But &s;hould I lo&s;e mine own, to buy his fauour? But would&s;t thou wreak thy anger, to lo&s;e a Kingdome? <HI>Loue &s;uffereth all things,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Cor. 13.7.</NOTE> <HI>it belee|ueth al things, it hopeth al things, it endureth al things, it &s;eeketh not its owne, but the things that are of God.</HI> If thy cau&s;e be good, and thy con&s;cience vn&s;potted, thou ha&s;t an <HI>Aduocate with the Father,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Ioh. 2.1, 2.</NOTE> <HI>Ie&s;us Chri&s;t the righteous.</HI> This was the <HI>Kings Attorny,</HI> that <HI>Da|uid retained,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm. 35.1.</NOTE> <HI>Plead thou my cau&s;e (O Lord) with them that &s;triue with me, and fight thou again&s;t them that fight again&s;t me.</HI> But we mu&s;t haue <HI>writ</HI> vpon <HI>writ,</HI> and <HI>Action</HI> vpon <HI>Action,</HI> to vndoe our &s;elues, that we may vex our brethren: <HI>E&s;eck,</HI> and <HI>Ma&s;&s;a,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 26. Exod. 17. E&s;a. 8.6.</NOTE> and <HI>Meribah,</HI> the <HI>waters of strife</HI> and contention, are tho&s;e we delight to drinke of, the gentle <HI>Shiloah</HI> runneth too &s;oftly for our turbulent humours: who&s;e coun&s;el doe we follow in this (Beloued) but his, who was a <HI>liar</HI> and a <HI>murtherer</HI> from the ve|ry beginning? Are we <HI>Sheepe</HI> of the <HI>Lords pa&s;ture,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alme 100.</NOTE> and yet like Dogs, and Swine will bee barking, and biting one another?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 24.29.</NOTE> and &s;hall that &s;eruant &s;peed well at his ma&s;ters comming,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 12.45.</NOTE> who is taken mole&s;ting and <HI>&s;miting</HI> his <HI>fellow &s;eruants?</HI> Hence therefore let <HI>Tale-bearers,</HI> and tho&s;e <HI>Attournies</HI> learne, who &s;et neighbours together by the eares, &amp; egge them onward to contentions, who&s;e <HI>Ap|paritours</HI> and <HI>Agents</HI> they be. For if ble&s;&s;ed bee the <HI>Peace-makers,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5.9.</NOTE> for <HI>they &s;hall hee called the children of God,</HI> then cur&s;ed be &s;uch <HI>Brawle-makers,</HI> for they
<PB N="20" REF="14"> &s;hall be called the <HI>Children</HI> of the <HI>Diuell.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5.9.</NOTE> But of you (deare Chri&s;tian brethren) I am per&s;waded better things; you haue learned of the <HI>Wi&s;e man,</HI> Prou. 17.14.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 17.14.</NOTE> <HI>that the beginning of &s;trife is</HI> as the <HI>opening of waters,</HI> which will quickly drowne, if they be not &s;topped. Take vp therefore &s;uch contentions, as now, or at any time &s;hall ari&s;e a|mong&s;t you; conferre together, lay a&s;ide all ma|lice, v&s;e the helpe of your neighbours, and all o|ther good lawfull meanes. <HI>What? is it &s;o, that there is not a wi&s;e man among you? no not one that can iudge betweene his brethren? but a brother goeth to law with a brother</HI> (as the <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> complaineth of the <HI>Corinthians:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Cor. 6.5.</NOTE>) and I may adde, mo&s;t common|ly for a matter of &s;mall moment. Rather make a <HI>friend</HI> of thy <HI>aduer&s;ary,</HI> to ioine with thee in league again&s;t thy &s;pirituall enemies, &amp; that <HI>effectually,</HI> and that <HI>quickly,</HI> without any further prolonging; which is the <HI>third circum&s;tance</HI> I ob&s;erued in the precept, &amp; will quickly here, by Gods grace, and your Chri&s;tian patience, indeuour to run it ouer.</P>
<P N="10"><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE>10 <HI>Agree with thine Aduer&s;ary quickly] Matur&egrave;,</HI> &s;aith <HI>Ca&s;talion: cit&ograve;,</HI> &s;ay the other interpreters: all co~meth to one, <HI>&s;ea&s;onably,</HI> or <HI>pre&s;ently,</HI> the pre&s;ent being euer mo&s;t &s;ea&s;onable. Becau&s;e in actions of this nature, the contrary to our common prouerb is found mo&s;t true, <HI>the more ha&s;te, the better &s;peed:</HI> whence I gather, that <HI>delay in any Chri&s;tian duty is alwaies dangerous.</HI> To <HI>die</HI> wel (&s;aith one) is a <HI>long art</HI> of a <HI>&s;hort life,</HI> and a <HI>&s;peedy beginning,</HI> is the <HI>&s;horte&s;t cut</HI> to this <HI>longe&s;t art.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Cor. 6.2.</NOTE> <HI>Behold</HI> (&s;aith the ble&s;&s;ed A|po&s;tle) <HI>now is the accepted time, behold now the day of
<PB N="21" REF="14"> &s;aluation,</HI> and <HI>to day if yee will heare his voice, har|den not your hearts,</HI> but <HI>exhort one another daily, while it is called to day,</HI> Heb. 3.13.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 3.13.</NOTE> There is a <GAP DESC="foreign"> or a <GAP DESC="foreign"> to <HI>day,</HI> or <HI>now,</HI> in all the <HI>mandats</HI> almo&s;t of the <HI>King of heauen.</HI> So the Prophet <HI>E&s;aiahs &s;earch,</HI> E&s;ai. 55.6.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 55.6.</NOTE> our <HI>Sauiours Watch.</HI> Mar. 13.37.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 13.37.</NOTE> the <HI>Wi&s;emans memento,</HI> Eccle&s;ia&s;t. 12.1. con|taine no other thing, then that wi&s;e &s;onne of <HI>Sy|rach</HI> &s;o much beateth vpon, Eccle&s;ia&s;t. 5.7.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eccle. 5.7.</NOTE> <HI>Make no long tarrying to turne vnto the Lord, and put it not off from day to day;</HI> All <HI>excu&s;es</HI> are <HI>refu&s;als,</HI> and <HI>delayes</HI> are <HI>denials,</HI> when our <HI>Sauiour</HI> &s;aith vn|to vs, <HI>Come and follow me.</HI> For though his mercy afford vs often-times many yeeres to repent; yet his <HI>Iu&s;tice</HI> permits vs not one houre to <HI>&s;in. Peccan|ti cra&s;tinum non promi&s;it</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Gregory:</HI>) he promi|&s;eth not to morrow to the offender, who is al|waies ready to forgiue the penitent. And there|fore <HI>Matthew</HI> was no &s;ooner called, Mat. 9.9.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 9.9.</NOTE> but pre&s;ently hee <HI>aro&s;e and followed. Ha&s;tily</HI> came <HI>Za|cheus</HI> downe from the <HI>Tree,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 19.6.</NOTE> and <HI>receyued</HI> our <HI>Sa|uiour ioyfully,</HI> when notice was once giuen, that hee would bee his <HI>ghe&s;t</HI> that day: and no &s;ooner had hee looked back vpon <HI>Peter,</HI> Matthew 26.75.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26.75.</NOTE> but <HI>hee went out</HI> (&s;aith the text) <HI>and wept bit|terly.</HI></P>
<P N="11">11 I will not &s;tand longer, for the proofe of a point &s;o euident, but come to apply it to our &s;elues. The&s;e things <HI>are written for our in&s;truction,</HI> to admoni&s;h vs to beware, how we deferre our re|pentance. It is &s;trange to ob&s;erue our &s;hifts here in, how cunningly we can coozen our &s;elues, and
<PB N="22" REF="15"> abu&s;e Gods long &s;uffring, for our longer &s;inning. But had we but the grace to con&s;ider what true conuer&s;ion is, and the manifold difficulties that alwaies cro&s;&s;e it; mo&s;t euidently it would ap|peare, that all the&s;e are augmented, and &s;treng|thened by delay, and that by this deceit, more do peri&s;h, then by all the guiles and &s;ubtilties of Sa|tan be&s;ides. For better con&s;idereth that old &s;er|pent, then we do, how that <HI>one &s;inne draweth on a|nother,</HI> how <HI>he that is not fit to day, will be le&s;&s;e fit to morrow,</HI> how that <HI>cu&s;tome groweth into nature,</HI> and <HI>old di&s;ea&s;es are hardly cured.</HI> He knoweth, the long|er we per&s;i&s;t in &s;inne, the more God plucketh his grace and a&s;&s;i&s;tance from vs. Our good inclina|tions are the weaker, our vnder&s;tanding the more darkned, our will the more peruerted, our appe|tite the more di&s;ordered, all our inferiour parts and pa&s;&s;ions, the more &s;trengthened, and &s;tirred vp again&s;t the rule of rea&s;on; whereby his foot|ing is the &s;tronger, and our ca&s;e the more de&s;pe|rate. La&s;t of all, hee is priuy to the <HI>vncertainty,</HI> and <HI>perils</HI> of our life, to the <HI>dangers</HI> that may <HI>be|fall vs,</HI> to the <HI>impediments</HI> that will alwaies cro&s;&s;e vs: &s;o that if once he winne vs to <HI>delay</HI> a <HI>little,</HI> he doubteth not but to <HI>gaine</HI> our whole time fro~ vs. Now &s;hall we <HI>&s;ee</HI> this <HI>net,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Prou. 1.17.</NOTE> and yet be entangled? knowe this guile of this old writhing &s;erpent, and yet neuer endeuour to preuent it? Mo&s;t com|monly there is no man &s;o <HI>yron-hearted,</HI> but hee hath a purpo&s;e in time to amend his life. And when hee &s;eeth another to liue religiou&s;ly, and heareth the commendation of the Saints of God;
<PB N="23" REF="15"> he <HI>wi&s;heth</HI> in his heart he were al&s;o &s;uch a one,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Numb. 23.10.</NOTE> and groneth oft-times in con&s;cience, that he hath ne|uer endeuoured &s;o to bee. But alas (my good Chri&s;tian brother) what letteth at this in&s;tant, that this cour&s;e &s;hould not be taken? What in|conuenience would follow, if pre&s;ently this were practi&s;ed, which for euer &s;hould doe vs good? Thou &s;houlde&s;t preuent the <HI>euill day,</HI> which &s;ud|denly may <HI>ouertake thee:</HI> thou &s;hould&s;t haue thy <HI>lamp</HI> ready, when&s;oeuer the <HI>Bridegroome pa&s;&s;eth</HI> by <HI>thee:</HI> thou &s;houlde&s;t be <HI>furni&s;hed</HI> of a <HI>wedding gar|ment,</HI> when the <HI>Ma&s;ter</HI> of the <HI>fea&s;t</HI> commeth to take notice of thee. The outward plea&s;ures which thou &s;eeme&s;t here to abridge, &s;hould be recom|penced in this life, with the peace of con&s;cience, and hereafter with eternall felicitie. And if for the pre&s;ent by &s;uch meanes, thy gaine be negle|cted, thou &s;halt &s;urely finde the increa&s;e another where. Now, can there be a waightier matter then thy &s;aluation? See&s;t thou not by <HI>others ru|ines,</HI> the <HI>vncertainty</HI> of thine owne e&s;tate? And are not the&s;e things true, which out of Gods &s;a|cred Word I haue proued vnto you? What &s;en&s;|le&s;ne&s;&s;e is it then for vs (Beloued) to make that the taske of our old age, which &s;hould bee the practice of all our life, and to &s;ettle our <HI>euerla|&s;ting,</HI> our <HI>only,</HI> our <HI>&s;urest</HI> making or marring, vpon &s;o tottering, and &s;inking, and &s;andy a foundati|on? We &s;ee, and know by experience, that a <HI>&s;hip,</HI> the longer it <HI>leaketh,</HI> the harder it is to be <HI>emptied:</HI> a <HI>hou&s;e,</HI> the longer it goeth to decay, the wor&s;e it is to <HI>repayre:</HI> or a <HI>nayle,</HI> the farther it is driuen in,
<PB N="24" REF="16"> the harder it is to <HI>plucke out</HI> againe. And can we per&s;wade our &s;elues, that the trembling ioynts, the dazeled eyes, the fainting heart, the fayling legs, of vnweildy, drouping, and indi&s;ciplinable olde age, may empty, repayre, plucke out the leakes, and ruines, and nayles, of &s;o many yeeres, flowing, fayling, and fa&s;tening? But &s;uppo&s;e we came to that age, (which is an extraordinary ble&s;|&s;ing of God, and not granted to many) and re|tayne in it that vigour, which happeneth to very few, and enioy that grace of God, which now and heretofore we &s;o often haue de&s;pi&s;ed: Imagine (I &s;ay) the be&s;t that may be hoped for, that thou maye&s;t haue <HI>time</HI> hereafter to repent, and <HI>ability</HI> to v&s;e that <HI>time,</HI> and <HI>de&s;ire</HI> to v&s;e that <HI>ability,</HI> and <HI>grace</HI> to pro&s;per that <HI>de&s;ire:</HI> whereby thou maye&s;t vanqui&s;h <HI>Satan</HI> at the <HI>&s;trongest,</HI> when thou thy &s;elfe art at the weake&s;t; yet con&s;ider herein thy fooli&s;hne&s;&s;e, which in matters of le&s;&s;e moment, thou woulde&s;t bee loth to commit; each day thou <HI>knittest knots,</HI> which once thou mu&s;t <HI>vndoe</HI> a|gaine; thou <HI>heape&s;t</HI> that together, which once thou mu&s;t <HI>di&s;per&s;e</HI> againe; thou <HI>eatest</HI> and <HI>drinkest</HI> that hourely, which once thou mu&s;t <HI>vomit</HI> vp againe, to omit thy vngratefull dealing with thy Lord and Ma&s;ter <HI>Christ Ie&s;us,</HI> whom thou &s;erue&s;t thus at length with the <HI>Diuels leauings,</HI> and then (for|&s;ooth) we will turne to be religious, when time will &s;car&s;e permit vs to bee wicked any longer. We &s;ee therefore (beloued brethren) the <HI>waight,</HI> and <HI>importance</HI> of this one vvord <HI>quickly.</HI> Though there <HI>be twelue houres in the day,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 11.9.</NOTE> <HI>wherein men may
<PB N="25" REF="16"> walke,</HI> no vvi&s;edome it is for vs, to po&s;t ouer our repentance to the la&s;t ca&s;t. <HI>Non &s;emper manet in foro paterfamilias</HI> (&s;aith Saint <HI>Augustine:</HI>) The <HI>Lord</HI> of the <HI>vineyard</HI> is not alvvaies in the <HI>market,</HI> to &s;et thee <HI>a-worke:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ser. <HI>1.</HI> de &s;anctis.</NOTE> and no maruaile (&s;aith Saint <HI>Gregory</HI>) if at <HI>the last ga&s;pe he forget him&s;elfe,</HI> vvho in <HI>all his life neglected</HI> to <HI>remember God.</HI> Let vs at|tend therefore to <HI>open,</HI> vvhen it plea&s;eth him to <HI>knocke.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 24.26.</NOTE> And not (<HI>as Felix</HI> did <HI>Paul</HI>) &s;o an&s;vvere his me&s;&s;engers; <HI>Goe thy way for this time, and when I haue conuenient time, I will call for thee againe:</HI> but rather vvith <HI>Dauid</HI> to bee <HI>ready,</HI> vvhen hee &s;aith,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alme. 40.7.</NOTE> <HI>Come,</HI> pre&s;ently to reply, <HI>Lo, I come.</HI> When he &s;aith,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alme. 27.8.</NOTE> <HI>Seeke my face,</HI> to eccho immediatly againe, <HI>Thy face (Lord) will we &s;eeke. Samuels</HI> an&s;vvere mu&s;t bee ours at the fir&s;t call, <HI>Speake, Lord,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Sam. 3.10.</NOTE> <HI>for thy &s;eruant heareth:</HI> and that not only <HI>quickly,</HI> but al&s;o vvhen vve are <HI>in the way,</HI> vvhich is my fourth and la&s;t <HI>cir|cumstance,</HI> before ob&s;erued, and commeth novv briefly in the conclu&s;ion to be con&s;idered.</P>
<P N="12">12 <HI>Agree with thine Aduer&s;arie quickely]</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, vvhich all tran&s;late, <HI>whiles thou art in the way with him.</HI> Alluding perchance, to countrymen (&s;aith <HI>Illyricus</HI>) who came &s;ome di&s;tance for iudgement, from their hou&s;es into the city, in which they had fit opportunity be|tweene them&s;elues to di&s;cu&s;&s;e and take vp all matters. But citizens (in my opinion) haue no le&s;&s;e, they dwell neere together, and may more conueniently meete, and dayes of hearing come not &s;o fa&s;t, but &s;pace, and place may bee had, to compo&s;e in good &s;ort &s;uch bu&s;ine&s;&s;e. But figura|tiuely
<PB N="26" REF="17"> in <HI>Scripture,</HI> this word <HI>way</HI> hath three e&s;pe|ciall &s;ignifications. Fir&s;t, it is taken for doctrine, as P&s;alm. 23.3.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm. 23.3.</NOTE> <HI>Shew me thy wayes, O Lord, and teach me thy paths.</HI> Which Hebrai&s;me the <HI>Schoolemen</HI> haue taken from the <HI>Arabians,</HI> when they put <HI>viam Thomae,</HI> or <HI>viam Scoti,</HI> for <HI>Thomas,</HI> or <HI>Scotus</HI> doctrine. Secondly, it &s;ignifieth the manner of <HI>liuing, coun&s;els, behauiour,</HI> or <HI>endeuours</HI> of men: &s;o Gen. 6.12.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 6.12.</NOTE> <HI>All fle&s;h had corrupted his way:</HI> that is, their <HI>manners:</HI> and the <HI>Lord knoweth the way of the righteous,</HI> P&s;alm. 1.6.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm. 1.6.</NOTE> that is, the <HI>coun&s;els, actions,</HI> or <HI>endeuours</HI> of the <HI>righteous,</HI> or wicked. La&s;tly, it is taken for a <HI>mans life,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Io&s;h. 23.14.</NOTE> as Io&s;hua 23.14. <HI>This day I enter into the way of all the world;</HI> and &s;o in this place, <HI>whiles thou art in the way with him:</HI> that is, in the dayes of this <HI>thy pilgrimage,</HI> whiles thou <HI>art aliue.</HI> Which directeth vs e&s;pecially to this conclu&s;ion, that
<Q>After this life there remayneth no place for repen|tance, or reconciliation.</Q></P>
<P N="12">12 For <HI>alia est</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Mu&s;culus</HI> on this place) <HI>prae&s;entis, alia futurae vitae conditio.</HI> The <HI>condition of this life,</HI> and the next, <HI>are not both alike.</HI> Here there may be had a compo&s;ition; but there the Iudge will proceed according to law; as the next words following my text doe &s;ufficiently confirme, <HI>thou &s;halt be cast into pri&s;on, and thou &s;halt not come out, vntill thou hast paid the vtmost farthing.</HI> Here is no mention at all of <HI>pardon,</HI> but all of <HI>payment;</HI> pay, or &s;tay: infinite hath been thy offence, and &s;o mu&s;t be thy puni&s;hment: not a <HI>dogge to licke a &s;ore,</HI> not the <HI>tip of a finger</HI> dipt in <HI>water,</HI> to <HI>coole a tongue,</HI>
<PB N="27" REF="17"> can be there obtained with an Ocean of <HI>teares:</HI> How much le&s;&s;e <HI>Indulgences,</HI> or <HI>pardons,</HI> or <HI>Ma&s;|&s;es,</HI> or <HI>Pilgrimages,</HI> or any <HI>Interce&s;sion</HI> of the liuing, can alter the e&s;tate of the <HI>dead?</HI> But of this here|after in the rea&s;on, when we come to &s;peake of the <HI>pri&s;on</HI> which the <HI>Papists</HI> imagine to be their <HI>pur|gatory.</HI> Now a word or two by the <HI>way,</HI> for ap|plying this doctrine taken from the <HI>way</HI> men|tioned in my text, and &s;o I will commit you to God.</P>
<P N="13">13 This may &s;erue (beloued) to ha&s;ten that &s;peedy <HI>conuer&s;ion,</HI> which in the poynt before I &s;o earne&s;tly vrged. For if this <HI>life</HI> be the appoynted <HI>place</HI> and no other, wherein this <HI>quicke reconcilia|tion</HI> is to be &s;ought, and wrought; then all excu|&s;es are cut off, what&s;oeuer the Diuels &s;ophi&s;try, or mans back&s;liding tergiuer&s;ations can ima|gine. Otherwi&s;e, &s;ome peeui&s;h conceit might hu|mour it &s;elfe with &s;uch an idle contemplation. There is a great &s;pace betweene Heauen and Earth; Gods iudgement &s;eate, and the place wee goe from; and can this bee pa&s;&s;ed in a moment? Be&s;ides, who can tell, whether my iudgement &s;hall bee immediate vpon my departing? May not others be fir&s;t examined? May not I be re|priued, till the la&s;t day of iudgement, and hauing that re&s;pit to be reconciled, &s;o &s;ue out a pardon? But our <HI>Sauiour</HI> meeteth with all &s;uch humane fancies, and earthly cogitations. No (&s;aith hee) this <HI>agreement</HI> mu&s;t not onely be <HI>quickly</HI> in regard of the <HI>time,</HI> but al&s;o in <HI>this life,</HI> whiles <HI>thou art in the way,</HI> and thy <HI>aduer&s;ary with thee,</HI> both together,
<PB N="28" REF="18"> in <HI>re&s;pect of the place.</HI> Iu&s;t as that noble <HI>Romane Popilius</HI> dealt in his amba&s;&s;age with King <HI>An|tiochus</HI> (the hi&s;tory is recorded by <HI>Liuie</HI>) he ma|keth a <HI>circle</HI> with his <HI>rod,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Decad.</HI> 5. <HI>l.</HI> 5.</NOTE> and pa&s;&s;e we mu&s;t not the <HI>compa&s;&s;e</HI> thereof, till we haue fully re&s;olued on an ab&s;olute an&s;were. Such a <HI>circle</HI> we are all in at this pre&s;ent (Beloued) and behold an vrgent am|ba&s;&s;age from the <HI>King of Kings. Peace,</HI> or <HI>warre, life,</HI> or <HI>death,</HI> hell, or heauen, are to be determined on of vs, in this <HI>instant</HI> and <HI>place,</HI> and therefore let vs bethinke vs (I be&s;eech you) what to doe. We finde here no certaine habitation, but onely (as my text intimateth) a <HI>way</HI> to pa&s;&s;e: this pa&s;|&s;age hath all the dangers, and more then can bee imagined: The <HI>Diuell</HI> as a <HI>thiefe,</HI> the world like a <HI>bawd,</HI> the <HI>fle&s;h</HI> like a <HI>fal&s;e brother,</HI> to <HI>a&s;&s;ault,</HI> entrap vs, and leade vs into vtter darkne&s;&s;e: euery <HI>breath|ing</HI> we make, is the <HI>&s;hortning</HI> of our life, and euery <HI>&s;tep</HI> we goe, is the <HI>hastning</HI> to our <HI>graue.</HI> Sands of the Sea, or Gnats in <HI>Summer,</HI> or leaues in <HI>Au|tumne,</HI> are not more innumerable, then the heaps, and &s;warmes, &amp; mountaynes of calamities, vvhich are euery moment ready to fall vpon vs. And yet we like tho&s;e outragious <HI>Sodomites,</HI> Gen. 19.9.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 19.9.</NOTE> will not &s;uffer our brethren to <HI>host</HI> quietly by vs, but will <HI>haue them out,</HI> to quarrell, and deale wor&s;e with them, though <HI>fire</HI> and <HI>brimstone</HI> fall on vs the next day after. Good Lord, that man &s;hould &s;o hardly be brought to con&s;ider him&s;elfe, and re|member thee! and yet &s;o quickly to ioyne with his enemy, and maligne his brother; to forget, who&s;e he is, whence he is, where he is, and which
<PB N="29" REF="18"> way he tendeth. We account him an <HI>idle-headed fellow,</HI> that will be building in euery <HI>Inne,</HI> where hee may not dwell: a fooli&s;h Pilote, that will bee <HI>anchoring</HI> in euery <HI>creeke,</HI> where his bu&s;ine&s;&s;e lies not: and a mo&s;t de&s;perate, and impudent thiefe, that will &s;tabbe when he pa&s;&s;eth along, from the pri&s;on to his triall. Our practice is the like, but wee will not thinke of it. Wee <HI>build</HI> where wee may not inhabite, anchor where we may not har|bour, quarrell and fall out in that very way, nay in the very pre&s;ence of that greate&s;t <HI>Lord chiefe Iustice,</HI> who hath bound vs to the peace, both with our <HI>brethren,</HI> and aduer&s;aries. And now con&s;ider, I be&s;eech you (Beloued) would true men fall out in that way among&s;t them&s;elues, where from euery <HI>bu&s;h</HI> they may expect a <HI>thiefe?</HI> or &s;ouldiours be tumultuous, in &s;uch a garri&s;on, where they euer &s;tand in danger of their mortall enemies? That be farre from vs who march vn|der the banner of the <HI>King</HI> of <HI>peace.</HI> Let it be the infamy of <HI>Cain,</HI> to <HI>ri&s;e against his brother:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 4.8.</NOTE> and the cur&s;e of the <HI>Midianites,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iudg. 7.22.</NOTE> to &s;heathe <HI>euery man his &s;word in his neighbours &s;ide:</HI> and a iu&s;t imputation laid on <HI>Ahab,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. King. 18.18.</NOTE> that he and <HI>his fathers hou&s;e had troubled I&s;rael.</HI> But let vs (Beloued) according to our <HI>Captaines command,</HI> and precept, <HI>loue one ano|ther, as he hath loued vs.</HI> We are all <HI>children</HI> of the &s;ame heauenly Father, children mu&s;t <HI>dwell</HI> toge|ther; <HI>members</HI> of the &s;ame <HI>body,</HI> members mu&s;t <HI>grow</HI> together; <HI>&s;heepe</HI> of the &s;ame <HI>pasture, &s;heepe</HI> mu&s;t <HI>feed</HI> together; <HI>&s;ouldiers</HI> of the &s;ame <HI>army, &s;ouldiers</HI> mu&s;t <HI>march</HI> together. See&s;t thou there|fore
<PB N="30" REF="19"> a <HI>brui&s;ed reed? breake</HI> it not: or <HI>&s;moaking flaxe?</HI> quench it not: or a fainting &s;oule? thru&s;t it not: or one that is falne? trample him not. Reioyce not at anothers cro&s;&s;es, but feare what thou ha&s;t de&s;erued, and what may befall thy &s;elfe. Heare&s;t thou of a <HI>Saul's</HI> ouerthrow? bewayle him with <HI>Dauid:</HI> though perchance he hated thee, and &s;ought thy vtter vndoing. Hath a Lyon kil|led a di&s;obedient Prophet? affoord him in com|pa&s;&s;ion, <HI>Alas, my brother. Brethren,</HI> and children, and beloued, and babes, and friends, are the mo&s;t frequent titles we are called by in Scripture. O let vs curbe our &s;welling affections, and ende|uour to be an&s;werable to &s;uch excellent appella|tions. <HI>Archidamus</HI> (as wee reade in <HI>Plutarch</HI>) being cho&s;en an <HI>vmpire</HI> to reconcile two parties, who had &s;worne &s;olemnly to &s;tand to his avvard, gets them into <HI>Mineruaes groue,</HI> and there en|ioynes them, that they &s;hould neuer depart thence, till they had reconciled them&s;elues. O that my intreaty novv, might bee as his policie then, to bring you all here pre&s;ent to the like exi|gent, that this <HI>moment</HI> might be the <HI>quickely,</HI> and this <HI>Temple</HI> the very <HI>way,</HI> out of vvhich you might neuer pa&s;&s;e, vvithout a full re&s;olution for this Chri&s;tianlike agreement. But this is his on|ly to effect, who hath commanded it &s;hould bee &s;o. <HI>Paul</HI> may <HI>plant,</HI> and <HI>Apollos</HI> may <HI>water,</HI> but it is thou (O Lord) that mu&s;t giue the <HI>increa&s;e.</HI> O thou therefore that art the <HI>Author of peace, and lo|uer of concord, who giuest vnto thy &s;eruants that peace which the world cannot giue,</HI> Incline (vve be|&s;eech
<PB N="31" REF="19"> thee) our &s;tubborne, and carnall affections, &s;o to loue one another, as thou ha&s;t taught vs: that thy <HI>eternall peace, which pa&s;&s;eth all vnder&s;tan|ding, may keepe our hearts and minds in the know|ledge and loue of thee, and thy Sonne Ie&s;us Chri&s;t our Lord: that the ble&s;sing of God Almighty, the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Gho&s;t, may be amongst vs, and remaine with vs now and euermore: Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="2" TYPE="sermon">
<PB REF="20">
<PB N="33" REF="20" MS="y">
<HEAD>CHRISTS COVN|SELL FOR ENDING LAW CASES. THE SECOND SERMON.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>MATTH. 5.25.</HI></BIBL>
<P>Lest thine Aduer&s;ary deliuer thee to the Iudge, and the Iudge deliuer thee to the Sergeant, and thou be cast into Pri&s;on.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_SVch is the &s;eruile di&s;po&s;iti|on of the &s;onnes of <HI>Adam,</HI> that in the ordinary pa&s;&s;a|ges of this life, <HI>feare</HI> more auayleth then <HI>loue,</HI> to worke a con&s;ideration of their owne e&s;tates: according to that of the Prophet, P&s;alm. 119. <HI>Before I was troubled, I went wrong,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver. 67.</NOTE> <HI>but now haue I kept thy Word.</HI> The rea&s;on I take to be, the <HI>&s;harpne&s;&s;e</HI> of our <HI>&s;en&s;es,</HI> and <HI>dulne&s;&s;e</HI> of our <HI>vn|derstanding;</HI> this being more apprehen&s;iue of <HI>bitter,</HI> then that of <HI>&s;weete.</HI> In regard whereof, an <HI>iniury</HI> more galleth, then a <HI>benefit</HI> contenteth, and
<PB N="34" REF="21"> we remember to <HI>reuenge</HI> the one, when we forget to be <HI>thankfull</HI> for the other. So &s;ickne&s;&s;e more than health, cro&s;&s;es more than courte&s;ies, im|pri&s;onment, more than liberty, make a deepe im|pre&s;&s;ion.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Aquin. <HI>1^a. 2.</HI> ae. q. <HI>25.</HI> ar. <HI>4.</HI> ex Boctio.</NOTE> And <HI>feare</HI> (as the <HI>Schooles</HI> ob&s;erue) is <HI>is one of the foure principall pa&s;sions,</HI> that v&s;ually o|uer&s;wayeth all our deliberations. Whereupon the <HI>holy Ghost,</HI> the deepe&s;t &s;earcher, and experte&s;t applyer, in all our affections, imperfections, infe|ctions, and defections, annexeth a penalty to his chiefe&s;t mandates.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 3.3. Leuit. 20.5.</NOTE> <HI>Eate not, lest yee dye,</HI> Gen. 3.3. <HI>Commit not Idolatry, lest thou be cut off,</HI> Leuit. 20.5. <HI>Watch, lest he finde you &s;leeping,</HI> Mark. 13.36.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark. 13.36.</NOTE> <HI>Take heed, le&s;t he &s;pare not thee,</HI> Rom. 11.21.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11.21.</NOTE> It is his or|dinary &s;tile, to rowze our <HI>&s;ecurity,</HI> and is here the <HI>burden</HI> of this <HI>&s;ong</HI> of <HI>iudgement. Agree with thine Aduer&s;ary quickly, whilest thou art in the way with him, le&s;t thine Aduer&s;ary deliuer thee to the Iudge, and the Iudge deliuer thee to the Sergeant, and thou be ca&s;t into pri&s;on.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2 In the vnfolding of the former part of this <HI>Text,</HI> it may be ea&s;ily recalled, that it was diuided into a <HI>Precept,</HI> and the <HI>rea&s;on thereof.</HI> The <HI>Precept</HI> was there enlarged, according to the&s;e <HI>foure Cir|cum&s;tances. The matter whereof, Agree</HI>] the <HI>partie with whom,</HI> thine <HI>Aduer&s;ary</HI>] the <HI>time when, quickly</HI>] the <HI>place where, while&s;t thou art in the way with him.</HI> The rea&s;on now followes to be further followed, carrying with it (as it were) threats, and whips, to &s;courge onward the a&s;&s;ent; as though in more words our <HI>Sauiour</HI> had thus vrged it:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn. 9.4.</NOTE> <HI>I haue adui|&s;ed you quickly to agree, whiles &s;pace, and place is
<PB N="35" REF="21"> granted; to take order in the day, before the night ap|proach, and not to &s;uffer your brabbles to come to a &s;canning after this life: but if your frowardne&s;&s;e be &s;uch, as to admit no good coun&s;ell, &s;ee what will be the i&s;&s;ue. Appearance without delay, iudgement, without partalitie, impri&s;onment, without baile, wil be &s;trict|ly exacted, and inflicted. Aduer&s;ary, Iudge, Serge|ant, Pri&s;on, no way to be &s;hifted, or e&s;caped, twice de|liuered, then ca&s;t, neuer to bee repriued, or ea&s;ed. Thinke vpon the&s;e damages, before the action bee en|tred, for all this will befall, if agreement preuent it not.</HI> And this I take to bee the drift of our <HI>Saui|our,</HI> in the words I haue read vnto you: The <HI>&s;um</HI> whereof is
<Q>A Declaration of the exceeding danger, which at|tendeth the neglect of reconciliation.</Q></P>
<P>And is here exempli|fied by three <HI>circum|stances,</HI> drawne from the rigorous procee|ding of the
<LIST>
<ITEM>1 <HI>Aduer&s;ary:</HI> in the&s;e words; <HI>le&s;t thine Aduer&s;ary deliuer thee to the Iudge.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>2 <HI>Iudge: And the Iudge deliuer thee to the Sergeant.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>3 <HI>Sergeant: and thou be cast into Pri&s;on.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P><HI>Le&s;t thine Aduer&s;ary deliuer thee to, &amp;c.</HI> The <HI>first</HI> includeth an <HI>accu&s;ation,</HI> exhibited by the <HI>Aduer&s;a|rie.</HI> The <HI>&s;econd,</HI> a <HI>condemnation,</HI> pronounced by the <HI>Iudge.</HI> The <HI>third,</HI> an <HI>execution</HI> performed by the <HI>Sergeant. Facilis de&s;cen&s;us Auerni.</HI> Hee tum|bleth with a witnes, whom the <HI>Lord for&s;aketh,</HI> and the <HI>Diuell driueth.</HI> From <HI>Aduer&s;ary</HI> to <HI>Iudge,</HI> from <HI>Iudge</HI> to <HI>Sergeant,</HI> from <HI>Sergeant</HI> to <HI>Pri&s;on:</HI> &s;o one in the necke of another; that the <HI>fir&s;t</HI> may checke
<PB N="36" REF="22"> our <HI>impatience, for abu&s;ing our neighbour; the &s;e|cond, our arrogance,</HI> in pre&s;uming on <HI>God;</HI> the <HI>third,</HI> our <HI>&s;ecuritie,</HI> for not con&s;idering what may fol|low, all our <HI>dulne&s;&s;e, coldne&s;&s;e,</HI> and <HI>benumb'dne&s;&s;e,</HI> in maters of the waightie&s;t importance, that euer may concerne <HI>fle&s;h</HI> and <HI>bloud.</HI> Giue me leaue therefore (<HI>Right Wor&s;hipfull,</HI> and <HI>Beloued</HI>) to &s;um|mon our &s;tartling meditations, to take <HI>&s;ome view</HI> before-hand, of the&s;e <HI>fearefull A&s;si&s;es;</HI> where wee know not how <HI>quickly</HI> we all are to haue a <HI>triall.</HI> It is <HI>Syracides</HI> good coun&s;ell,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 7.36.</NOTE> Eccle&s;. 7.36. <HI>Remem|ber the end, and thou &s;halt neuer doe ami&s;&s;e.</HI> Some|times <HI>Boanerges,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 3.17.</NOTE> the <HI>&s;ons of thunder</HI> (who preach iudgement) mu&s;t as well be heard;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 16.17.</NOTE> as <HI>Bar-iona,</HI> or <HI>Barnabas</HI> the &s;onne of a <HI>Doue,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 4.36.</NOTE> or <HI>con&s;olation.</HI> Let vs take therefore a copie of the <HI>Declaration,</HI> that our defence may be the directer and fir&s;t of the fir&s;t, which is the <HI>rigorous proceeding</HI> of the <HI>Aduer|&s;arie,</HI> in the&s;e words, <HI>le&s;t thy Aduer&s;ary deliuer thee to the Iudge.</HI>]</P>
<P N="3">3 About the fir&s;t <HI>particle</HI> in my <HI>text,</HI> which in the originall is <GAP DESC="foreign">, &s;ome &s;cruple ari&s;eth, both for the reading, and meaning. The <HI>vulgar</HI> ren|dreth it, by <HI>ne fort&egrave;,</HI> which the <HI>Rhemi&s;ts</HI> retaine, in their, <HI>le&s;t perhaps.</HI> Preferring &s;uch <HI>broken ce&s;ternes,</HI> before the <HI>fountaines</HI> them&s;elues. But this is well corrected by <HI>Era&s;mus</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Beza</HI>) both here,<NOTE PLACE="marg">In v. 25.</NOTE> and in diuers other places: the word &s;igni|fying properly, <HI>ne quando,</HI> le&s;t <HI>at any time</HI> (as our la&s;t Tran&s;latours expre&s;&s;e it, and our former vn|der&s;tood it) without any <HI>fort&egrave;'s,</HI> or <HI>peraduen|tures,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Lib.</HI> 1. <HI>cap.</HI> 1.</NOTE> for which Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> fir&s;t cen&s;ureth
<PB N="37" REF="22"> him&s;elfe, in his <HI>Retractations.</HI> How&s;oeuer this <HI>difference</HI> may &s;eeme exceeding nice, yet vpon it, are grounded <HI>two</HI> &s;euerall <HI>interpretations. Sic tempe|rauit,</HI> (&s;aith the <HI>ordinary glo&s;&s;e,</HI> which <HI>Hugo,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Jn hunc locum.</NOTE> <HI>and Ly|ra</HI> follow) &s;uch a <HI>moderation</HI> is intimated, by this particle <HI>fort&egrave;,</HI> that the <HI>penitent</HI> may hope for an <HI>after remi&s;sion, &amp; ideo dicit fort&egrave; (&s;aith Gorram) quia potest fieri quod non. Auendado</HI> wheeles on the &s;ame <HI>bias,</HI> with <HI>Thomas,</HI> and the re&s;t of that <HI>&s;ide,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">In textum.</NOTE> except the learned <HI>Abulen&s;is,</HI> who mainly &s;tops it. <HI>This fort&egrave;</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>is not put by way of doubting;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver. 3.</NOTE> but as that in the third of <HI>Gene&s;is; ne fort&egrave; moria|mur,</HI> or the like: in the &s;euenth of Matthew,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver. 6.</NOTE> <HI>Ca&s;t not pearles before &s;wine, ne fort&egrave; conculcent eas;</HI> where there could be no doubt of con&s;equence, but that <HI>man</HI> &s;hould <HI>dye,</HI> and <HI>&s;wine</HI> would trample &s;uch trea&s;ures. I &s;hould bee loth, by playing too much the <HI>Critick</HI> on the&s;e particles, to be thought to read <HI>Grammar Lecture.</HI> The reconciling (in my vnder&s;tanding) is very euident, if wee take the expo&s;ition of the fir&s;t, with <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome, Theophi|lact,</HI> and <HI>Euthimius,</HI> in the <HI>literall &s;en&s;e,</HI> and of the latter, with <HI>Cyprian, Hilary, Ambro&s;e, Hie|rome,</HI> and <HI>Augu&s;tine,</HI> with the re&s;t of the <HI>Fathers,</HI> and <HI>Schoolemen,</HI> in the <HI>parabolicall.</HI> For in the <HI>proce&s;&s;es</HI> of this life, friends may interpo&s;e, or mo|ny preuaile, or pitie &s;ometimes hinder a iu&s;t pro|&s;ecution; and therefore in regard of <HI>men,</HI> a <HI>per|haps</HI> may haue his place: but in reference to that greate&s;t, and <HI>la&s;t account, Ne fort&egrave;,</HI> is as much as <HI>ali&agrave;s,</HI> which <GAP DESC="foreign"> in the <HI>Hebrew,</HI> and <GAP DESC="foreign"> in the <HI>Syri|ack</HI> tran&s;lation, may very well al&s;o beare; as
<PB N="38" REF="23"> though the whole had beene thus connected: <HI>Agree with thine Aduer&s;ary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him:</HI> otherwi&s;e, <HI>or if thou neg|lect to doe it, thy Aduer&s;ary will deliuer thee to the Iudge,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">&V;id. Bucca&s;en. &amp; Beaux-am.</NOTE> <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Secondly, by <HI>Aduer&s;ary</HI> I vnder&s;tand, not the deuil with <HI>Tertullian,</HI><NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Hom. <HI>35.</HI> in Lu|cam.</NOTE> <HI>Origen,</HI> and<NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">In cap. <HI>12.</HI> Luc.</NOTE> <HI>The|ophylact;</HI> nor the <HI>fle&s;h</HI> with <HI>others</HI> mentioned by Saint<NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Lib. de &s;erm. Dom. in monte. Bellar. l. <HI>1.</HI> de purgat. cap. <HI>7.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Augu&s;tine;</HI> nor <HI>con&s;cience,</HI> with <HI>Athana&s;i|us;</HI> nor <HI>Sinne</HI> with Saint <HI>Ambro&s;e;</HI> nor the <HI>Holy Gho&s;t,</HI> with <HI>Chromatius;</HI> nor God, or <HI>his Law,</HI> with <HI>Gregory, Augustine,</HI> and <HI>Beda:</HI> although all the&s;e (as <HI>Bucca&s;enus</HI> at large declares) may haue a good meaning; But (as I tooke it in the <HI>precept</HI>) with <HI>Hilary,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">&V;bi &s;upra.</NOTE> <HI>An&s;elme,</HI> and Saint <HI>Hierome,</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>Dominum litis,</HI> either party <HI>contending, plaintiffe, or defendant.</HI> But here Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> obiecteth, I &s;ee not by what meanes one man &s;hould deli|uer another to that Iudge, before whom all are culpable: be&s;ides, put que&s;tion I kill my <HI>Aduer|&s;ary,</HI> can I then agree with him whiles wee are in the <HI>way,</HI> whom by &s;uch meanes I haue made out of the way?<NOTE PLACE="marg">In hunc locum.</NOTE> The an&s;wer of <HI>Abulen&s;is,</HI> and <HI>Maldo|nate</HI> &s;ufficiently cleereth the fir&s;t; <HI>Le&s;t thine Ad|uer&s;ary deliuer thee,</HI> that is, le&s;t hee be the occa&s;i|on thou <HI>be deliuered. Non reprae&s;entatiu&egrave;</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Buc|ca&s;enus</HI>) as though hee <HI>per&s;onally</HI> there &s;hould pre&s;ent thee with a <HI>Corpus capias,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid.</NOTE> <HI>&s;ed occa&s;iona|liter,</HI> which is <HI>Hugoe's</HI> word, be the occa&s;ion why <HI>Christ</HI> &s;hould pa&s;&s;e &s;entence vpon thee. For <HI>do not the teares oft run downe the widdowes cheeks,</HI> Eccle&s;ia&s;ticus.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ecclus. 35.15.</NOTE> 35.15. and <HI>from thence goe vp into heauen?</HI> So Iohn 5.45. <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> is &s;aid to <HI>accu&s;e:</HI>
<PB N="39" REF="23"> and Saint <HI>Hilary</HI> on this place,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Hilar.</NOTE> <HI>Manens in ea &s;i|multatis ira arguet.</HI> The <HI>hatred &s;hall accu&s;e that re|maines vnpacified.</HI> Which if the ca&s;e &s;o &s;tand that thou can&s;t not per&s;onally appea&s;e, by rea&s;on of his death with whom thou &s;hould&s;t <HI>agree;</HI> true <HI>re|pentance</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Abulen&s;is</HI>) may obtaine &s;o much of God, who accepteth, in &s;uch nece&s;&s;ities, the <HI>will</HI> for the <HI>performance.</HI> Which an&s;wereth fully Saint <HI>Augu&s;tines</HI> latter obiection, and giueth cleere pa&s;&s;age to this <HI>doctrinall propo&s;ition,</HI> that <HI>The breaking of Gods Law, by any &s;inne what&s;oeuer, maketh vs lyable to eternall damnation.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4 For if the la&s;t iarre with our <HI>aduer&s;ary</HI> will beare &s;uch an action, what breach of <HI>Gods Com|mandement</HI> can be exempted? Marke but the na|ture of the mo&s;t <HI>petty fault</HI> that euer was commit|ted, and we &s;hall finde it high trea&s;on again&s;t an infinite Maie&s;tie. For whether <HI>&s;inne</HI> be a <HI>word,</HI> or <HI>deed,</HI> or <HI>thought</HI> again&s;t the <HI>eternall Law,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Vid. Aquin.</HI> 1. 2. <HI>q.</HI> 71. <HI>ar.</HI> 6.</NOTE> as Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine;</HI> or a reuolting from our alleagiance to Gods edict, as Saint <HI>Ambro&s;e;</HI> or a <HI>&s;traggling</HI> from a <HI>pre&s;cribed cour&s;e</HI> to a <HI>due end, again&s;t nature, rea&s;on,</HI> or <HI>Gods Word,</HI> as <HI>Thomas,</HI> and the <HI>Schooles</HI> define it; euer it includeth a <HI>rebellious contempt,</HI> which by breaking the lea&s;t commandement, &s;et|teth vp (as it were) a Flagge of defiance again&s;t the Commander him&s;elfe. Faile but in one point of the Law, Iam. 2.10.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iam. 2.10.</NOTE> and thou art <HI>guilty</HI> of all.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Aquin. <HI>1. 2.</HI> q. <HI>73.</HI> art. ad <HI>1^u^m.</HI> De operib. Redemp. lib. <HI>1.</HI> cap. <HI>8.</HI> ad The&s;. <HI>2.</HI></NOTE> Though <HI>non quoad conuer&s;ionem ad creaturas,</HI> (as the <HI>Schoolemen</HI> re&s;traine it) yet <HI>quoad auer&s;ionem &agrave; Deo; (as Zanchius</HI> helpes them out) <HI>qui t&agrave;m con|temnitur in vno praecepto, qu&agrave;m in caeteris omnibus.</HI>
<PB N="40" REF="24"> Wherefore the <HI>wrath of God is reuealed from hea|uen again&s;t all vngodlines,</HI> Rom. 1.18. <HI>becau&s;e &s;uch a one hath &s;tretched out his hand again&s;t God, and made him&s;elfe &s;trong again&s;t the Almightie.</HI> Iob. 15.25. This will further appeare, by con|ferring but the <HI>backe parts</HI> of Gods <HI>Maie&s;tie, with mans vnworthine&s;&s;e,</HI> and the &s;euerity of the Iudge, with the <HI>re&s;pectle&s;&s;e pre&s;umption</HI> of the of|fender. For &s;eeing that euery &s;inne is to be e|&s;teemed, according to the worth of the party again&s;t whom it is committed, (as the &s;ame iniurie offered to a <HI>pea&s;ant</HI> and a <HI>Prince</HI> &s;tan|deth not in the &s;ame degree) hence it follow|eth, that the di&s;obeying of an <HI>infinite Comman|der,</HI> is an <HI>infinite offence,</HI> and con&s;equently de|&s;erueth a corre&s;pondent puni&s;hment. And how|&s;oeuer,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 92.6.</NOTE> <HI>an vnwi&s;e man doth not well con&s;ider this,</HI> and a <HI>foole doth not vnder&s;tand it:</HI> yet cer|tainely that is mo&s;t true, which is ob&s;erued <HI>by one,</HI> out of Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine,</HI> that in euery &s;inne we commit, as al&s;o in all other elections, there is ballanced (as it were) in the &s;cales of our rea|&s;on, here, an <HI>Omnipotent Lord,</HI> commanding, for our <HI>eternall good,</HI> and there a deadly enemy, alluring to our <HI>vtter de&s;truction.</HI> Where notwith|&s;tanding, &s;uch is our damnable ingratitude, and malicious &s;tupidity, we will fully reiect the <HI>Lord of life,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 3.14. Lam. 1.12.</NOTE> and preferre a <HI>murderer, Haue yee no regard, all yee that pa&s;&s;e this way,</HI> behold and &s;ee, whom yee dayly pierce, and then tell me, what di&s;grace may be viler then this, or puni&s;hment too heauy for &s;uch a contempt. The incomprehen&s;ible <HI>Anci|ent
<PB N="41" REF="24"> of daies,</HI> Almighty <HI>Iehouah,</HI> who made all things of nothing, by his <HI>Word,</HI> and by the &s;ame can reduce them to <HI>wor&s;e then nothing</HI> againe: who&s;e looke drieth vp the <HI>Deepes,</HI> and who&s;e wrath, maketh the <HI>Mountaines</HI> to <HI>melt,</HI> the <HI>Earth</HI> to <HI>tremble,</HI> the <HI>Rockes</HI> to <HI>rent,</HI> the <HI>Heauens</HI> to <HI>&s;hiuer, Diuels</HI> and <HI>Angels</HI> to <HI>quake</HI> before him. Before whom all <HI>Kings</HI> are as <HI>Gra&s;hoppers,</HI> all <HI>Monarchs, as Molehils,</HI> all beauty, ba&s;e, all &s;trength, feeble, all knowledge, vaine, all light, dimme, all good|ne&s;&s;e, imperfect; in &s;uch a <HI>ca&s;e,</HI> with &s;uch an <HI>oppo|&s;ite,</HI> by &s;uch a <HI>creature,</HI> as man is, &s;o extraordina|rily <HI>graced</HI> by him, to bee <HI>weighed</HI> as <HI>Bel&s;hazzar,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 5.27.</NOTE> in <HI>the ballance,</HI> and <HI>found too light.</HI> This is that, which vrgeth his <HI>mercy,</HI> and kindleth his <HI>Royall indignation.</HI> Sometimes (as it were) pa&s;&s;ionately to expo&s;tulate,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 2.31.</NOTE> <HI>What iniquitie haue your fathers found in me? Or haue I beene a wilderne&s;&s;e vnto I&s;|rael, or a land of darkne&s;&s;e?</HI> Then to exclaime, <HI>Heare, O heauens, and harken, O earth;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay. 1.2.</NOTE> <HI>for the Lord hath &s;aid, I haue brought vp children, and they haue rebelled again&s;t me.</HI> And goe to the <HI>Iles of Chittim,</HI> and <HI>behold, and &s;end to Kedar, hath any nation chan|ged their gods, which yet are no Gods?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 2.10.11.</NOTE> <HI>But my peo|ple hath changed their glory, for that which hath no profit.</HI> La&s;t of all, if a <HI>man will not turne,</HI> he will <HI>whet</HI> his <HI>&s;word</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 21.9.</NOTE> (as <HI>Ezechiel</HI> ingemina|teth) <HI>A &s;word, a &s;word, both &s;harpe,</HI> and <HI>fourbi&s;hed,</HI> and the <HI>strings</HI> of <HI>his Bow</HI> make ready again&s;t the face of the rebellious.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 21.12.</NOTE> Thus &s;aith the <HI>Lord God</HI> of Ho&s;ts, the mighty one of <HI>I&s;rael, Ah,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;aiah. 1.24.</NOTE> <HI>I will ea&s;e me of mine aduer&s;aries, &amp; auenge me of mine enemies.</HI> All
<PB N="42" REF="25"> which <HI>doth iu&s;tifie God in his &s;aying,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 51.4. Mat. 10.30.</NOTE> <HI>and cleare him when he is iudged.</HI> For as his <HI>Prouidence</HI> numbreth <HI>our haires,</HI> &s;o doth his <HI>Iu&s;tice</HI> our <HI>&s;innes;</HI> whereof as none is &s;o <HI>waighty,</HI> (without finall <HI>impenitency</HI>) that <HI>may not be forgiuen:</HI> So none &s;o <HI>&s;light,</HI> (if he once enter into iudgement) that weigheth not downe to hell.</P>
<P N="5">5 This may be a <HI>caueat</HI> for vs, <HI>(Beloued)</HI> fir&s;t to beware of the <HI>leauen</HI> of the <HI>Romi&s;h Synagogue,</HI> who frame <HI>indulgences</HI> for <HI>Gods Law,</HI> &amp; <HI>come with Peace, peace,</HI> when <HI>death is in the pot.</HI> Which that we may the more vnder&s;tandingly deeme of, it &s;hall not be ami&s;&s;e to touch a little on the <HI>po&s;itions,</HI> of their chiefe&s;t <HI>patrones.</HI> In which I intend to be excee|ding briefe, as ayming rather at our owne <HI>reconci|ling</HI> with God, then quarrelling with &s;uch <HI>obsti|nate</HI> aduer&s;aries.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. <HI>1.</HI> c. <HI>2.</HI> Lae|thalia, quae ho|minem plan&egrave; a|uertunt &agrave; Deo. &V;enialia, quae nonnihil impedi|unt cur&s;um ad Deum, non ta|men ab eo auer|tunt, &amp; facili negotio expian|tur, &amp;c. Lib. <HI>1.</HI> de Ami&s;|&s;ion. grat. &amp; &s;ta|tu peccat. cap. <HI>14.</HI></NOTE> Bellarmine <HI>de ami&s;sione gratiae, &amp; statu peccati,</HI> be&s;ides other <HI>foure diui&s;ions</HI> of &s;in, which he there relateth, hath this for the fifth, which he onely &s;tandeth vpon throughout that whole booke. <HI>Of &s;inne</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>&s;ome are deadly, and diuert a man wholly from God;</HI> others, <HI>veniall,</HI> which <HI>hinder him only a little:</HI> and tho&s;e hee tear|meth not &s;o, <HI>ab euentu,</HI> (with Saint <HI>Ambro&s;e,</HI> and <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI>) becau&s;e it plea&s;eth God in mercy, vpon repentance through <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> to pardon them (as <HI>Wickliffe, Luther</HI> &amp; <HI>Caluine</HI> mo&s;t &s;trongly euer maintained, again&s;t the <HI>Schoolemen:</HI>) but <HI>ex na|tura &s;ua &amp; ratione peccati,</HI> being &s;uch, as cro&s;&s;e not charity &s;o in their nature, <HI>vt &s;i vellet Deus non con|donare,</HI> (it is the very <HI>vp&s;hot</HI> of the booke before cited) that <HI>if God would not pardon them,</HI> but (as it
<PB N="43" REF="25"> were) in iu&s;tice doe his wor&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Poenam tempo|ralem tant&ugrave;m, non autem &s;em|piternam exige|re po&s;&s;it.</NOTE> he could puni&s;h them no further, then with <HI>temporall afflictions.</HI> They &s;tand with <HI>perfect charity,</HI> &s;aith<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">In <HI>4.</HI> &s;ent di&s;t. <HI>17.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Scotus:</HI> Re|mitted they may be <HI>without any infu&s;ion of grace,</HI> as<NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg"><HI>Tom.</HI> 4. <HI>di&s;p.</HI> 7. <HI>q.</HI> 4. <HI>part.</HI> 2</NOTE> <HI>Gregorius de Valentia</HI> the Ie&s;uite peremptorily defineth; they make vs not <HI>&s;potty,</HI> or <HI>odious,</HI> in the &s;ight of God, according to the <HI>gentle</HI><NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Cen&s;ura Coloni|en&s;is.</NOTE> <HI>cen&s;ure</HI> of the <HI>Diuines of Collaine,</HI> &amp; therfore de&s;erue not <HI>hell,</HI> but <HI>Purgatory,</HI> if<NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">In quartum &s;ent. d. <HI>21.</HI> q. <HI>1.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Aquinas</HI> may be beleeued. And to make it yet more plaine, how <HI>bold</HI> they can be with <HI>Gods Iu&s;tice!</HI> We neede <HI>not repent</HI> for them, &s;aith <HI>Andradius,</HI> with <HI>Bonauenture,</HI> in his fift booke <HI>of the defence</HI> of the <HI>Councel</HI> of <HI>Trent;</HI> neither &s;ay to God, <HI>Forgiue vs our tre&s;pa&s;&s;es,</HI> as the <HI>Rhemi&s;ts</HI> would father on Saint <HI>Augustine,</HI> at the 8. ver&s;e of the 7. chapter of the Epi&s;tle of Saint <HI>Paul</HI> to the <HI>Romanes.</HI> When God had giuen a Command to <HI>Adam,</HI> Gen. 2.17. <HI>Of the Tree of knowledge of good and euill, thou &s;halt not eate: for in the day thou eate&s;t thereof, thou &s;halt die the death;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Cap.</HI> 3.4.</NOTE> the <HI>Serpent</HI> comes with a <HI>countermand, Ye &s;hall not die at all:</HI> as though Gods meaning, and his words, had beene cleane <HI>contradictory.</HI> And is not this the dealing of our <HI>Aduer&s;aries</HI> in this pre&s;ent controuer&s;ie? For if euery one be <HI>accur&s;ed, that fulfilleth not all the Commandements,</HI> Leuit. 26.14. <HI>all his Ordinances,</HI> Deut. 28.15. <HI>what&s;oeuer is written,</HI> Gal. 3.10. if hee violate <HI>the fir&s;t, and greatest Commandement,</HI> Mat. 22.37. <HI>who loueth not God, with all his heart, and with all his &s;oule, and with all his minde.</HI> And <GAP DESC="foreign">. 1. Ioh. 3.4. euery the mo&s;t <HI>in|&s;en&s;ible &s;taggering,</HI> (as <HI>Caluine</HI> &s;oundly vrgeth)
<PB N="44" REF="26"> commeth within the compa&s;&s;e of one of the&s;e circum&s;tances; what pre&s;umption is it then in a|ny <HI>Baalamite,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Num. 23.</NOTE> to be hired to <HI>ble&s;&s;e,</HI> where the <HI>Lord</HI> hath <HI>cur&s;ed,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Kings 22.6.</NOTE> and to &s;ay with <HI>Ahabs prophets, Go vp and pro&s;per,</HI> when Gods Word hath told vs, we <HI>&s;hall &s;urely fall?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. <HI>1.</HI> de Ami&s;&s;. grat. &amp; &s;tatu peccat. cap. <HI>12.</HI></NOTE> But <HI>Bellarmine</HI> hath deui&s;ed certaine &s;hifts, to delude all the&s;e euident places, as fir&s;t <HI>properly,</HI> and of <HI>them&s;elues.</HI> The&s;e are not <HI>mandats</HI> (&s;aith he) but degrees <HI>of the &s;ame com|mandement. Secondly,</HI> &s;uch <HI>places</HI> are not to be <HI>in|terpreted</HI> of veniall &s;innes, but of <HI>mortall onely,</HI> where finding in his owne con&s;cience, the&s;e <HI>Fig-leaues</HI> too narrow to couer &s;uch apparent naked|ne&s;&s;e; he addeth <HI>thirdly,</HI> that we mu&s;t not &s;o <HI>&s;trict|ly</HI> vrge what&s;oeuer the law hath enacted <HI>again&s;t veniall &s;ins,</HI> becau&s;e (which is his <HI>fourth extraction</HI> out of the <HI>Schoole limbiques</HI>) the&s;e are not again&s;t, but <HI>be&s;ides the law:</HI> and le&s;t all this &s;hould faile, he &s;trikes it dead at the la&s;t, with &s;uch a qualificati|on:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Quamuis pecca|ta venialia, &s;i cum mortalibus conferantur, non &s;unt perfect&egrave; peccata, ab&s;olut&egrave; tamen peccata nominari po&s;|&s;unt, vt in &s;acris literis nominan|tur: lib. <HI>1.</HI> de Ami&s;&s;. grat. &amp; &s;tat peccat. cap. <HI>12.</HI></NOTE> Though <HI>the&s;e veniall faults</HI> may be <HI>ab&s;olutely called &s;ins,</HI> and <HI>are &s;o tearmed in holy Scripture;</HI> yet <HI>perfectly</HI> they are not &s;o, being <HI>conferred with mortall &s;innes, &amp; idcirco ex &s;olis i&s;tis vocibus, de re|bus ip&s;is non e&s;t pronunciandum. And therefore wee mu&s;t not &s;peake of &s;uch matters, as the Word of God di|rects vs,</HI> but attend (as it &s;hould &s;eeme) &s;uch <HI>cir|cumstances</HI> as the <HI>con&s;i&s;tory of Rome</HI> &s;hall pre&s;cribe vs. But can &s;uch <HI>huskes</HI> &s;atisfie any one that hath a father to goe vnto? The Iewes <HI>Ma&s;&s;oreth</HI> are thought too &s;aucy, for di&s;liking &s;ome words in the old Te&s;tament, as offen&s;iue to mode&s;t eares, and adding their corrections in the margent, as
<PB N="45" REF="26"> though the holy <HI>Ghost</HI> had not knowne how to expre&s;&s;e his minde. But the&s;e are piddling <HI>criti|ci&s;mes</HI> to the <HI>Cardinals animaduer&s;ions.</HI> With him, <HI>mandates</HI> mu&s;t be <HI>degrees of mandates,</HI> and <HI>contra,</HI> &s;hall be <HI>praeter;</HI> he will haue a milder cen&s;ure for <HI>veniall &s;innes,</HI> or the <HI>text</HI> &s;hall <HI>&s;tretch</HI> for it. God &s;aith plainly <HI>yea:</HI> he &s;aies expre&s;ly <HI>no.</HI> But if &s;uch chaffe hold out waight in the <HI>ballance</HI> of the <HI>San|ctuary,</HI> what proofes may Scripture yeeld to con|uince heretiques? or heretiques not peruert, to maintaine their owne fancies? The <HI>Arke</HI> and <HI>Dagon, Chri&s;t</HI> and <HI>Belial, Bethel</HI> and <HI>Bethauen</HI> may bee &s;o vnited together. Antiquitie (I am &s;ure) was little acquainted with &s;uch <HI>&s;ubtilities.</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">; who <HI>dares to tearme</HI> (&s;aith<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Regul. Breuior. ad Interrog. <HI>4.</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign"> Ibid. Interrog. <HI>193.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Ba&s;il) any fault little: &amp; vae vniuer&s;ae no&s;trae iu&s;titiae</HI> (&s;aith S.<NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Confe&s;&s;. lib. <HI>9.</HI> c. vlt.</NOTE> <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI>) woe to our be&s;t <HI>works,</HI> or <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> if <HI>without Gods mercy, they come to a &s;canning. Euery offence</HI> (according to <HI>Gregory Nazianzen</HI>) is the <HI>death of the &s;oule,</HI> and clippeth it (in the <HI>Latine Gregories</HI> opinion) fro~ &s;oaring aloft. And how&s;oeuer <HI>Bellarmines</HI> former &s;hift may wind from the&s;e al&s;o: yet his owne men in rea&s;on &s;hould &s;it neerer to him. <HI>Ger&s;on de vita &s;pirituali Anim. Lect.</HI> 1^a. oppo&s;eth him&s;elfe purpo&s;ely again&s;t this ab&s;urd di&s;tinction of the <HI>Schoolemen. Richar|dus</HI> &s;econds him: <HI>Almaine thinks no otherwi&s;e:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2. <HI>Sent. di&s;t.</HI> 42. <HI>q.</HI> 6.</NOTE> <HI>Roffen&s;is ioines with them both: Durand</HI> &s;o proo|ueth, that euery &s;inne in his owne nature, is not only <HI>be&s;ides,</HI> but <HI>again&s;t Gods Law:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Caietan. in Aq. <HI>1.2.</HI> q. <HI>88.</HI> art. <HI>1.</HI></NOTE> that <HI>Caietane</HI> is faine to come with this old <HI>Catholicon, &s;impliciter,</HI> and <HI>&s;ecundum quid,</HI> to helpe out <HI>Thomas</HI> his Ma|&s;ter,
<PB N="46" REF="27"> 1. 2. <HI>q.</HI> 88. <HI>art.</HI> 1. &amp; yet all will not &s;erue. To ha|&s;ten to a more profitable v&s;e, <HI>Michael Baius,</HI> not long &s;ithens <HI>profe&s;&s;our</HI> of <HI>Diuinitie</HI> in <HI>Louaine,</HI> ac|knowledgeth iu&s;t &s;o much, that euery &s;inne is <HI>mor|tall in its owne nature,</HI> as we contend for. And all the world may &s;ee, that the&s;e <HI>Task-ma&s;ters</HI> can &s;hew no other warrant, for gathering <HI>this &s;tubble</HI> of <HI>ve|niall &s;innes,</HI> in the &s;en&s;e they vrge it, but only from the <HI>Romane Pharaoh,</HI> to make <HI>bricke</HI> in <HI>Purgatory.</HI> But this auailes not in <HI>Gods</HI> Court (Beloued) and therefore oure <HI>plea</HI> mu&s;t be cleane altered.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 25.5, 6.</NOTE> For <HI>his thoughts</HI> are <HI>not our thoughts,</HI> nor <HI>his wayes our wayes:</HI> E&s;ay. 55.8. <HI>Behold</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Bildad</HI> in the Booke of <HI>Iob</HI>) the <HI>Moone hath no light,</HI> and the <HI>Starres</HI> are <HI>vncleane in his &s;ight:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 130.3.</NOTE> and will a <HI>worme,</HI> or <HI>a &s;hadow, a bottle in the &s;moke,</HI> &s;tand vp to try titles with him in iudgement? <HI>If thou, Lord, wilt bee extreme, to marke what is done ami&s;&s;e,</HI> O Lord, <HI>who may abide it?</HI> That which <HI>vineger</HI> is to the <HI>teeth, &s;moke</HI> to the <HI>eyes,</HI> a <HI>carca&s;e-&s;mell</HI> vnto the no&s;e, a na|ked dagger to the heart: more is the <HI>&s;mallest faul|tring</HI> of mortall man to the <HI>infinite iu&s;tice of Al|mightie God.</HI> Neuer can there be the like <HI>antipathie,</HI> or <HI>deadly feud,</HI> betwixt the mo&s;t ho&s;tile creatures that euer were created, as betwixt the <HI>Author of al goodne&s;&s;e,</HI> and this <HI>Diuels brat, &s;inne.</HI> It cro&s;&s;eth his very nature, and he mu&s;t needs cru&s;h it; it contem|neth his prerogatiue, &amp; therefore may not be to|lerated.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iude. 6. Gen. 3.24. Gen. 19.24. 1. King. 15.29. 1. King. 16.12. 2. King. 10.11.</NOTE> It threw the <HI>Angels</HI> out of heauen, <HI>Adam</HI> out of <HI>Paradi&s;e,</HI> burned <HI>Sodom,</HI> di&s;inherited <HI>Sauls</HI> po&s;teritie, plagued <HI>Dauid,</HI> rooted out the whole families of <HI>Ieroboam, Baa&s;ha,</HI> and <HI>Ahab,</HI> plucked at
<PB N="47" REF="27"> length the mo&s;t <HI>beloued Son</HI> out of the bo&s;ome of his <HI>Father,</HI> to die ignominiou&s;ly in the habit <HI>of a &s;eruant.</HI> And yet &s;uch is our &s;en&s;les &s;tupidity, and vngratefull peruer&s;ne&s;&s;e: we <HI>drinke iniquity</HI> like <HI>wa|ter,</HI> and di&s;ta&s;te it not; acknowledge Gods heauy indignation again&s;t it, and regard it not; &s;ee the dungeon ready to receyue vs, the &s;courges to tor|ment vs, the plagues to befall vs; and yet by any maner of repentance &s;hunne them not. Who pre&s;umeth not on Gods mercy, as though hee were not iu&s;t? and is not bolder to offend this <HI>King of Kings,</HI> the~ the meane&s;t neighbor or friend he hath? what examples terrify vs, or terrours effect, or effects declare, that we incline not to the po&s;ition of <HI>Dauids foole,</HI> who hath <HI>&s;aid in his heart,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 14.1.</NOTE> <HI>that there is no God?</HI> After &s;o long <HI>teaching,</HI> &amp; often <HI>hearing,</HI> many <HI>threats,</HI> and often <HI>puni&s;hments</HI> by <HI>fa|mine, pe&s;tilence,</HI> &amp; <HI>waters,</HI> remaine there not <HI>Chams</HI> among&s;t vs, who di&s;honour their <HI>parents? I&s;maels</HI> that <HI>mocke,</HI> and <HI>E&s;aus</HI> that <HI>vow reuenge</HI> again&s;t their fellow members, and naturall brethren; <HI>Ioabs,</HI> to <HI>ki&s;&s;e,</HI> and <HI>&s;tab, Ab&s;olons,</HI> to <HI>flatter,</HI> and <HI>rebell, Phari&s;es</HI> for <HI>out&s;ides,</HI> and <HI>Sadduces</HI> for <HI>beliefe,</HI> that rate at a <HI>me&s;&s;e</HI> of <HI>pottage,</HI> their heauenly <HI>birth-right? Iudas</HI> once &s;old his <HI>Ma&s;ter</HI> for <HI>thirty pieces of &s;iluer:</HI> but we <HI>often</HI> part with him, and commonly for halfe the mony. What <HI>&s;ophi&s;tications</HI> v&s;e we not to gild ouer, and extenuate &s;innes: not only to poy&s;on our &s;elues, but al&s;o to draw on others? To be <HI>drunke,</HI> and <HI>frequent lewd company,</HI> is now to be <HI>&s;ociable</HI> and <HI>Iouial: &s;wearing,</HI> a note of <HI>re&s;olution: gulling,</HI> of a good wit: cheating, of a tried expe|rience:
<PB N="48" REF="28"> extorting couetou&s;ne&s;&s;e of a <HI>carefull pro|uidence,</HI> and <HI>damnable di&s;simulation</HI> of a notable headed <HI>politician.</HI> How many of our greener yeers affect not rather the name of a good fellow, then of a good Chri&s;tian? come at <HI>Sermons</HI> as at <HI>plaies,</HI> to <HI>cen&s;ure,</HI> rather then to <HI>practi&s;e;</HI> and take vp all new <HI>fa&s;hions,</HI> both in <HI>garb</HI> and <HI>complement,</HI> except that <HI>newne&s;&s;e of life,</HI> which our <HI>Sauior</HI> commendeth. But I tell thee (my good Chri&s;tian brother) the&s;e leakes are not &s;o little, but they may quickly <HI>&s;inke thee;</HI> the very touch of this <HI>pitch</HI> is &s;ufficient to <HI>de|file:</HI> and thou tread but on the <HI>egges</HI> of this <HI>wily coc|katrice,</HI> thou &s;halt pre&s;ently perceyue that there lurketh a <HI>&s;erpent.</HI> Were the <HI>Angels</HI> puni&s;hed <HI>eter|nally</HI> for &s;inning once, and thinke&s;t thou to <HI>&s;tand out in iudgement</HI> with &s;o many tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions? mu&s;t our <HI>thoughts</HI> be &s;canned, &amp; &s;hall our <HI>words</HI> e&s;cape? or our <HI>words</HI> be condemned, and yet our <HI>acti|ons</HI> pardoned? Be not <HI>deceiued, God is not mocked.</HI> Inclinations, motions, intentions, our mo&s;t &s;e|cret, and lighte&s;t &s;innes, are as <HI>Elies &s;onnes,</HI> they will <HI>breake</HI> our <HI>neckes,</HI> if wee breake not off them. Gods <HI>Word</HI> is a <HI>two-edged &s;word,</HI> which mu&s;t kill our <HI>faults,</HI> or vs; and if we &s;tumble, &amp; da&s;h again&s;t the <HI>Corner &s;tone,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 21.44</NOTE> it will fall vpon vs, and <HI>grinde vs to powder.</HI> For as one &s;parke of fire may burne a whole Citie, and one naked place in an armed man (&s;aith <HI>S. Chry&s;ostome</HI>) giue way to a deadly wound:<NOTE PLACE="marg">In Matth. Homil. <HI>35.</HI> Vid. Augu&s;t. in Iohan. tract. <HI>12.</HI></NOTE> &s;o the lea&s;t graine of &s;inne vnrepented, may draw &s;uch mountaines of mi&s;eries vpon vs, which all that we can doe, or &s;ay, (without Gods infinite mercy) &s;hall neuer be able to remoue. O
<PB N="49" REF="28"> that we would therfore deale with the&s;e vanities, as <HI>Io&s;eph</HI> did with his <HI>Mi&s;tris,</HI> and breake out at the fir&s;t a&s;&s;ault, into this or the like contemplation: <HI>Thus and thus hath the Lord done for me; he brought me into this world, to ouercome this world, that by contemning this, I might enioy a better. Doe not all creatures &s;erue me, that I &s;hould &s;erue him? and haue I ought of mine owne, but onely by his bounty? how then &s;hould I doe any wickedne&s;&s;e, and &s;inne again&s;t him, who beholdeth my lea&s;t back&s;lidings, and will &s;urely puni&s;h them? He &s;pared not the naturall bran|ches, and &s;hall I haue an indulgence? hath his Sonne &s;uffered to redeeme his enemies, and &s;hall his enemies e&s;cape that contemne his Sonne?</HI> No certainely (Be|loued) hee is iu&s;t, as well as mercifull: if thou turne from his <HI>&s;tatutes,</HI> thou &s;halt be <HI>ouerturned.</HI> In a day that thou <HI>looke&s;t not for,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 24.50. P&s;al. 18.</NOTE> and in <HI>an houre</HI> that thou art not <HI>aware of,</HI> the <HI>&s;nares of death &s;hall ouertake thee,</HI> and <HI>paines</HI> of <HI>Hell</HI> &s;hall compa&s;&s;e thee <HI>round about.</HI> Thine <HI>Aduer&s;arie</HI> &s;hall not one|ly <HI>deliuer thee to the Iudge,</HI> but the <HI>Iudge deliuer thee to the Sergeant:</HI> which is the <HI>&s;econd circum&s;tance</HI> I before propo&s;ed, and followeth to lead further your iudicious con&s;iderations.</P>
<P N="7">7 <HI>The Iudge &s;hall deliuer thee to the Sergeant.</HI> This Iudge all con&s;ent vpon to be <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> to whom the <HI>Father hath committed all Iudgement.</HI> Ioh. 5.22. For though the <HI>Apostles</HI> are &s;aid al&s;o to <HI>iudge,</HI> Luk. 22.30. and the <HI>men</HI> of <HI>Niniueh,</HI> Math.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Aquin. &s;upplem. q. <HI>89.</HI> ar. <HI>1.</HI> Lomb. lib. <HI>7.</HI> c. <HI>18</HI></NOTE> 12.41. yet this is but by way of <HI>a&s;&s;e&s;sion,</HI> or <HI>appro|bation,</HI> as the <HI>Schoole-men expound</HI> the former; or <HI>exemplarily,</HI> as produced to <HI>conuince others,</HI> who
<PB N="62" REF="29"> haue le&s;&s;e profited by greater meanes (as <HI>Beza</HI> and <HI>Pi&s;cator</HI> intimate of the latter) none hauing <HI>ab|&s;olute authority,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">In <HI>12.</HI> Mat.</NOTE> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 12. v. 58.</NOTE> but he <HI>to whom all power was giuen,</HI> Math. 28.18. Next, what this word <GAP DESC="foreign"> &s;hould &s;ignifie (for which Saint <HI>Luke</HI> hath <GAP DESC="foreign">, the <HI>Sy|riack,</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, the <HI>Rhemi&s;ts</HI> and our la&s;t Tran&s;lation, <HI>Officer,</HI> D. <HI>Fulke, Mini&s;ter;</HI> &s;ome old Tran&s;lations, <HI>Doome&s;man,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">&V;id. Bell. lib. <HI>1.</HI> de Purg. c. <HI>7.</HI></NOTE> and we here <HI>Sergeant</HI>) there is &s;ome &s;mall difference. S. <HI>Ambro&s;e</HI> &amp; S. <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> would haue it to be the <HI>good Angels,</HI> becau&s;e the&s;e are &s;aid, to <HI>mini&s;ter to our Sauiour,</HI> in the <HI>former Chap.</HI> at the 11. ver&s;e; <HI>to come with him, Chap.</HI> 16.27. <HI>to ga|ther the tares, Chap.</HI> 13.30. But <HI>Chry&s;ostome, Gregory, Theophylact, Hugo,</HI> and <HI>Abulen&s;is,</HI> together with the <HI>Ordinary glo&s;&s;e,</HI> doe thinke it rather the <HI>Diuels office.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid.</NOTE> For the&s;e are the <HI>cur&s;ed Iaylers</HI> of the <HI>dam|ned,</HI> which mu&s;t accompany them <HI>eternally</HI> in <HI>euerlasting fire,</HI> Math. 25.41. Both opinions are probable (&s;aith <HI>Bellarmine.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">In hunc locum.</NOTE>) <HI>Pi&s;cator</HI> ioynes them together: and <HI>Bucca&s;enus</HI> &s;hewes the rea&s;on. The <HI>Goates</HI> (&s;aith he) are <HI>deliuered to the good Angels,</HI> to be <HI>&s;eparated</HI> from the <HI>Sheepe,</HI> and from thence to the <HI>euill,</HI> to be <HI>tortured</HI> for euer. Whence I gather in &s;tead of many, this one generall ob&s;er|uation:</P>
<P><HI>That there &s;hall be a Iudgement hereafter, wherein euery man &s;hall receiue according to his workes.</HI></P>
<P N="8">8 I need not be curious in prouing this point, which is receiued as a <HI>principle,</HI> in the <HI>Articles</HI> of our <HI>faith.</HI> That <HI>Sadduce,</HI> which denies it, de|nies al&s;o <HI>God,</HI> and &s;hall &s;ooner feele it, then haue time to preuent it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Cor. 15.22.</NOTE> <HI>In a moment,</HI> in <HI>the twinkling
<PB N="51" REF="29"> of an eye,</HI> at the <HI>terrible &s;ound of the la&s;t Trumpet,</HI> the <HI>&s;onne of man &s;hall come in the cloudes of heauen,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 24.30.</NOTE> <HI>with all his holy Angels in power and great glory:</HI> when the <HI>Sunne</HI> &s;hall be <HI>blacke as &s;ackcloth of haire,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Reu. 12.5.</NOTE> the <HI>Moone</HI> like <HI>bloud,</HI> the <HI>Starres</HI> fall vnto the <HI>earth,</HI> as a <HI>figge tree ca&s;teth her leaues,</HI> the <HI>heauens depart as a &s;croll rolled,</HI> and euery <HI>mountaine and Ile</HI> moue out of their places; when the <HI>earth melteth,</HI> the <HI>&s;ea roareth,</HI> the <HI>elements di&s;&s;olue, nations howle,</HI> all the world fla&s;heth with the terrible and all-con|&s;uming <HI>flames,</HI> mentioned by the ble&s;&s;ed Apo&s;tle S^t. <HI>Peter;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Pet. 3.10.</NOTE> then &s;hall <HI>we all appeare before the Iudge|ment &s;eat of Chri&s;t,</HI> Rom. 14.10. that <HI>euery man may receiue according as he hath done,</HI> 2. Cor. 5.10. And here (beloued) in a matter of &s;o &s;erious impor|tance, it &s;hould be idle for me, to breake out into the <HI>mazes,</HI> and <HI>vagaries</HI> of the <HI>Schoole-men:</HI> as to determine with the <HI>ma&s;ter</HI> of the <HI>Sentences,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>4.</HI> Sent. di&s;t. <HI>47.</HI> Ibid.</NOTE> <HI>that this la&s;t fire &s;hall, as the fir&s;t floud,</HI> ri&s;e iu&s;t <HI>fifteene cu|bites</HI> aboue the <HI>tops</HI> of the <HI>highe&s;t mountaines;</HI> or with <HI>Nicholas de Orbellis,</HI> that the <HI>materiall Cro&s;&s;e,</HI> whereon our <HI>Sauiour</HI> was <HI>crucified,</HI> &s;hould be car|ried (as a Mace) <HI>before him,</HI> when he commeth to Iudgement,<NOTE PLACE="marg">In &s;upplem. q. <HI>88</HI> art. <HI>4.</HI></NOTE> or with <HI>Aquinas</HI> and the re&s;t of that &s;ide, that the <HI>place</HI> of this <HI>Iudgement</HI> &s;hall <HI>be in the ayre,</HI> right again&s;t <HI>mount Oliuet,</HI> ouer the valley of <HI>Ieho&s;haphat.</HI> Well &s;aith <HI>Artemidorus</HI> in his <HI>One|rocritiques, No dreames of a priuate man may haue a publike interpretation.</HI> For what &s;hould we &s;peake in &s;uch <HI>ob&s;curities,</HI> that the Lord putteth not into our mouthes?<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>4.</HI> Sent. di&s;t. <HI>47.</HI> Epist. <HI>24.</HI> ad Hieronym.</NOTE> That which <HI>Lombard</HI> hath of the <HI>authority</HI> of <HI>Angels</HI> in this bu&s;ine&s;&s;e, <HI>Puto hoc non
<PB N="52" REF="30"> arte &s;ciri, qu&agrave;m videatur.</HI> I thinke it cannot be <HI>knowne,</HI> before it be <HI>&s;eene,</HI> or at lea&s;t reuealed; and S^t. <HI>Augustine</HI> &s;omewhere of <HI>originall &s;inne,</HI> Neuer be &s;o <HI>inqui&s;itiue,</HI> how thou had&s;t it from thy <HI>pa|rents,</HI> but labour to be <HI>cleared of it</HI> by the merits of thy <HI>Sauiour;</HI> may &s;erue vs heere, to curbe our curio&s;ity. Let it not be thy care to conceiue, <HI>where,</HI> and <HI>when,</HI> and with <HI>what circum&s;tances,</HI> this iudgement is to be holden, but <HI>there,</HI> and <HI>then,</HI> and by <HI>good a&s;&s;urances,</HI> to bee deliuered from the horrible dammages thereof. Two kindes of <HI>Iudgements</HI> the <HI>Scripture</HI> mentioneth, on which wee may &s;afely build. The fir&s;t a <HI>particular,</HI> the &s;econd a <HI>generall.</HI> This for the <HI>&s;oule</HI> alone, at euery mans &s;euerall departure, as that of <HI>Diues</HI> ad <HI>Lazarus,</HI> Luke 16.22.23. That for the <HI>&s;oule</HI> and <HI>body,</HI> and <HI>all men together,</HI> at the <HI>last day,</HI> after the <HI>vniuer&s;all re&s;urrection,</HI> Heb. 9, 27. The fir&s;t re&s;pect|eth vs (&s;aith <HI>Aquinas</HI>) as <HI>priuate per&s;ons;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Vbi &s;upra q. <HI>88.</HI> ar. <HI>5.</HI></NOTE> the &s;econd as <HI>parts</HI> of <HI>mankind:</HI> neither &s;hall that be recalled, or mitigated in the <HI>&s;econd,</HI> which was determi|ned in the <HI>fir&s;t:</HI> but rather <HI>publi&s;hed,</HI> what there was <HI>priuatly</HI> pa&s;&s;ed, and what was in the <HI>particular</HI> begun, in the <HI>generall</HI> &s;hall be con&s;ummated, by reuniting the &s;oule and body euerla&s;tingly to|gether.</P>
<P N="9">9 In both which, could we but thinke of with deliberation, the mo&s;t &s;trict, and &s;euere procee|ding of Gods vnmoueable <HI>iu&s;tice,</HI> it would coole our courages, and take downe the pre&s;umption, that now &s;o laui&s;hly runs on in the &s;core of Gods mercy. For though in this life, his <HI>eares be open
<PB N="53" REF="30"> to the petitions</HI> of the penitent, yet hereafter when hee returneth to <HI>execute Iudgement,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 25.26.</NOTE> hee acknow|ledgeth that <HI>he is a hard man,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 18.6.</NOTE> <HI>reaping where he ne|uer &s;owed,</HI> and <HI>gathering, where he &s;trowed not.</HI> Who for offending <HI>a little one,</HI> will inflict a heauier pu|ni&s;hment vpon the guilty, then the <HI>ca&s;ting him in|to the Sea,</HI> with <HI>a mil&s;tone about his neck,</HI> and for de|fect alone of a <HI>wedding garment,</HI> wil adiudge an in|uited <HI>ghe&s;t,</HI> to <HI>vtter darknes.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 22.13.</NOTE> And now (my beloued brethren) was <HI>Adam</HI> &s;o hardly cen&s;ured, (as it is thought) for one <HI>Apple?</HI> The <HI>Angels,</HI> for a <HI>thought: Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aaron</HI> for once <HI>doubting:</HI> all <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> for <HI>A|chans</HI> taking one <HI>wedge</HI> of <HI>gold:</HI> the whole <HI>Tribe</HI> of <HI>Beniamin,</HI> for forcing of <HI>one woman:</HI> and &s;hall we thinke, in that <HI>terrible Day</HI> of the <HI>Lord,</HI> a day of <HI>darkne&s;&s;e and dimne&s;&s;e,</HI> a <HI>day of clowdes, and &s;tormes,</HI> before &s;o <HI>iu&s;t</HI> a <HI>Iudge,</HI> &s;o many <HI>accu&s;ers,</HI> for &s;o <HI>hay|nous, voluntary,</HI> and <HI>continued</HI> crimes, it is po&s;&s;ible for vs to e&s;cape vnpuni&s;hed?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 24.26.</NOTE> <HI>Foelix</HI> trembled when <HI>Paul</HI> preached of <HI>iudgement:</HI> and <HI>Lemnius</HI> reports of a young man of the Emperour <HI>Charles</HI> his Court,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. <HI>2.</HI> de com|plex. cap. <HI>20.</HI></NOTE> who for horrour of the execution hee was the next day to &s;uffer, in one night became white, both in his <HI>head</HI> and <HI>beard.</HI> But could wee but re&s;traine a little our thoughts, to the medi|tation of the&s;e fearefull <HI>A&s;si&s;es,</HI> it would &s;top our lewd cour&s;es (as the <HI>light</HI> from heauen did <HI>Sauls</HI>) and make vs to cry out with him, <HI>Lord,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 9.6.</NOTE> <HI>what wilt thou that we doe?</HI> For alas, how will all our <HI>Gal|lants</HI> and <HI>Swaggerers</HI> behaue them&s;elues in that perplexity? all our <HI>hypocrites</HI> and <HI>extortioners?</HI> all our <HI>drunkards</HI> and <HI>Adulterers,</HI> when the Iudge
<PB N="54" REF="31"> &s;hall come in this terrible maie&s;tie, this to <HI>fanne,</HI> this to <HI>purge,</HI> this to <HI>&s;eparate</HI> the <HI>corne</HI> from the <HI>chaffe,</HI> the <HI>wheate</HI> from the <HI>tares,</HI> the <HI>Sheepe</HI> from the <HI>Goates,</HI> without <HI>pity, pardon,</HI> or <HI>partiality?</HI> which way will they beturne them&s;elues? what <HI>Apologies</HI> will they make? who&s;e helpe and coun|&s;ell can they v&s;e, in &s;o de&s;perate and &s;uddaine an extremity? who? where? what thing can yeeld con&s;olation? when the <HI>Lord</HI> once <HI>bloweth</HI> again&s;t them (as the <HI>Prophet</HI> &s;peaketh) <HI>with the fire of his wrath?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezech. 21.31.</NOTE> <HI>Aboue</HI> them (as <HI>An&s;elme</HI> de&s;cribes it) an <HI>angry Iudge,</HI> ready to condemne them, <HI>beneath,</HI> a <HI>gaping Chaos,</HI> with gri&s;ly <HI>fire</HI> and <HI>brim&s;tone,</HI> eter|nally to ingulfe them; on the <HI>right hand,</HI> their <HI>&s;innes</HI> accu&s;ing; on the <HI>left</HI> hand, <HI>vgly fiends</HI> to dragge them to execution; within, <HI>a gnawing con|&s;cience;</HI> without, <HI>loth&s;ome companions,</HI> the <HI>world burning,</HI> all <HI>creatures amazed,</HI> the la&s;t &s;entence thundred out in this dreadfull manner:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 25.41.</NOTE> <HI>Goe yee cur&s;ed of my Father, into euerla&s;ting fire, prepared for the Diuell and his angels.</HI> Vpon the pronouncing of which, what imagination can conceiue, or tongue of men and Angels expre&s;&s;e the ruthfull and di&s;mall departing of the damned reprobates? Parents, from their Children, Husbands from their Wiues, Brothers and Si&s;ters from each other, &s;o to be &s;undred, that neuer pity, or com|fort may afterward be expected? this is that which &s;hould &s;ticke clo&s;er to the <HI>brawny hearts</HI> of our carele&s;&s;e worldlings,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iudg. 3.21.</NOTE> then <HI>Ehuds dagger</HI> did to fat <HI>Eglons:</HI> and awake them to looke about, whiles &s;pace, and place is granted. O my deare Chri|&s;tian
<PB N="55" REF="31"> brother, then thou &s;halt truly finde, that this is no Bugbeare, wherewith wee are threatned at this pre&s;ent: one <HI>cup of cold water giuen,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 10.42.</NOTE> one plea|&s;ure abandoned, one iniury indured here in this world for <HI>Chri&s;ts &s;ake,</HI> but e&s;pecially the <HI>trea&s;ure</HI> of an <HI>vn&s;potted con&s;cience,</HI> &s;hall giue thee at that in|&s;tant greater comfort, then all the dignities and delights of a thou&s;and worlds. But thou &s;uppo|&s;e&s;t this farre off, and therefore the le&s;&s;e regarde&s;t it. Sen&s;ele&s;&s;e, and incon&s;iderate as we are! haue we beene &s;o often deluded, and yet di&s;cerne not this la&s;t, and deadlie&s;t bait of that <HI>old Serpent</HI> the Diuell? It is not for vs (I confe&s;&s;e) to know the <HI>times</HI> and <HI>&s;ea&s;ons,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 1.7.</NOTE> <HI>which the Father hath put in his owne power:</HI> and therefore to particularize with &s;ome, that the<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Brightman in c. <HI>9.</HI> Apocalyp&s;. Ann. <HI>1696.</HI> vl|timus e&s;t termi|nus Turcici no|minis.</NOTE> <HI>Turki&s;h Monarch</HI> &s;hall haue its <HI>period,</HI> iu&s;t 81. yeeres hence, and the <HI>Papacy</HI> 71. or with<NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Napeir prop. <HI>14.</HI> c. <HI>116.</HI> Al&s;ted. praecog. Theol. cap. <HI>16.</HI> vbi vid. plura de fine Mundi pag. <HI>526.</HI></NOTE> others in like curio&s;ity, that the <HI>end</HI> of <HI>the world</HI> &s;hall fall, within the compa&s;&s;e of tho&s;e <HI>doozen</HI> yeeres betweene 1688. and 1700. is more then my <HI>Algorithme</HI> findes <HI>demon&s;tration</HI> for: yet if by a <HI>cloud,</HI> we may coniecture of a <HI>&s;torme,</HI> and by the <HI>budding of the figge tree,</HI> that <HI>Summer</HI> is neere at hand, warrantable it is to teach at this pre&s;ent, which the <HI>Apostle</HI> S. <HI>Iohn</HI> did 1500. yeeres &s;ithence, that <HI>the&s;e are the</HI><NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">1. Ioh. 2.18.</NOTE> <HI>la&s;t times,</HI> which how much longer they are to <HI>la&s;t,</HI> neither the<NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Math. 24.36.</NOTE> <HI>An|gels,</HI> nor any creature can exactly <HI>a&s;&s;ure vs. Ionas</HI> had for the <HI>Niniuites,</HI><NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Cap. 3.4.</NOTE> yet <HI>forty dayes:</HI> but for ought we know, within <HI>forty houres,</HI> this time may come, when time <HI>&s;hall be no more.</HI> For what <HI>&s;ignes</HI> thereof are mentioned in <HI>Scripture,</HI> which are not
<PB N="56" REF="32"> already <HI>fulfilled,</HI> or what &s;ummons haue beene omitted to warne vs to prouide? <HI>Fal&s;e Chri&s;ts</HI> were to come, and they haue beene di&s;couered; <HI>per&s;ecutions to ari&s;e,</HI> and they haue beene endured; <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> to be reuealed,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. The&s;&s;. 2.8.</NOTE> and behold, hee is con|&s;picuous, with his <HI>Locu&s;ts</HI> and followers: <HI>warres,</HI> and <HI>rumours</HI> to trouble all the world, and they haue beene <HI>felt,</HI> and <HI>heard: pe&s;tilence,</HI> and <HI>famine, earthquakes,</HI> and <HI>&s;trange prodigies, fal&s;e prophets,</HI> and <HI>fal&s;e brethren, increa&s;e of iniquity,</HI> and <HI>frozen|ne&s;&s;e of charity,</HI> what man &s;o &s;imple that &s;peakes not of, and daily almo&s;t complaines not? Two &s;ignes onely remaine which can be doubted of: The <HI>preaching</HI> of the Go&s;pell <HI>throughout the world,</HI> and the Conuer&s;ion <HI>of the Iewes to Chri&s;tianity.</HI> But the fir&s;t (according to mo&s;t Writers) was ac|compli&s;hed in the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> time. For <HI>went not their &s;ound out thorow all the earth, and their words vnto the ends of the world?</HI> Rom. 10.18. or at lea&s;t now is, as <HI>Io. Fredericus</HI> (in a peculiar tract) hath &s;hewed, by &s;preading the <HI>Go&s;pell</HI> among&s;t the Ea&s;t <HI>Indians,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Vid. Pareum in <HI>11.</HI> cap. ad Roman. Dub. <HI>18.</HI> Vid. Marlorat. in Rom. <HI>11.26.</HI></NOTE> and <HI>Americans.</HI> And for the latter, though <HI>Chry&s;ostome, Hilarie, Ambro&s;e, Hierome,</HI> and <HI>Au|gustine,</HI> with diuers of our <HI>new Writers,</HI> very pro|bably collect, that before the end, there &s;hall be a <HI>generall conuer&s;ion</HI> of the <HI>Iewes:</HI> yet <HI>Caluin, Bucer,</HI> and <HI>Mu&s;culus,</HI> with diuers others of good note, expound that <HI>I&s;rael of God,</HI> Rom. 11.26. (the onely place that intimates &s;uch a matter) either <HI>allegori|cally,</HI> of the <HI>faithfull,</HI> or of &s;ome per&s;ons, to be <HI>conuerted</HI> in all ages of the <HI>Iewi&s;h</HI> Nation: All fal|ling at length on <HI>Origens vncertainty</HI> in this point.
<PB N="57" REF="32"> <HI>Quis autem &s;it i&s;te omnis I&s;rael:</HI> what all that <HI>I&s;rael</HI> is, that &s;hall be &s;aued, He onely knoweth, and his <HI>Sonne</HI> that &s;aueth them. Small hope may there|fore be grounded on &s;uch <HI>ambiguities.</HI> To the&s;e if we further adde the Prophe&s;ie of <HI>Rabbi Elias,</HI> not di&s;liked by mo&s;t of the Ancients, and the <HI>Ca|bala</HI> of <HI>Rabbi I&s;aac</HI> on the fir&s;t ver&s;e of <HI>Gene&s;is,</HI> re|lated by <HI>Genebrard, Chronol. lib.</HI> 19. which all driue at the period of 6000. yeeres. By the <HI>Septuagints, Io&s;ephus, Eu&s;ebius, Augustines, I&s;idores,</HI> and <HI>Alphon|&s;us</HI> the <HI>A&s;tronomers</HI> account, this date is out al|ready. And according to the truer &s;upputation of tho&s;e that follow the <HI>Hebrew text,</HI> not far from fini&s;hing; the <HI>times for the Elects &s;ake being to be &s;hortned.</HI> What is left therefore (B.) for vs, but to <HI>watch,</HI> and <HI>be ready</HI> (as our <HI>Sauiour</HI> coun&s;elleth,) le&s;t our <HI>Ma&s;ter come,</HI> and the <HI>Bridegroome pa&s;&s;e,</HI> and this <HI>day as a Thiefe ouertake vs,</HI> when wee are lea&s;t prouided of it? S^t. <HI>Hierome</HI> profe&s;&s;eth, that <HI>whe|ther he eate or drinke, or did any other thing,</HI> this voyce did alwayes &s;eeme to trumpet in his eares, <HI>Surgite mortui, &amp; venite ad iudicium, ari&s;e you dead, and come to iudgement.</HI> And nothing can better vs more, then the remembrance of this like &s;en|tence, vttered by our <HI>Sauiour: Come, giue an ac|count of thy Steward&s;hip, for thou maye&s;t be no longer Steward.</HI> Certainely there can be in this ca&s;e but two kindes <HI>of deliuerings;</HI> the <HI>fir&s;t, from our &s;innes,</HI> to a better <HI>e&s;tate;</HI> the <HI>&s;econd, for our &s;innes,</HI> to an in|cen&s;ed Iudge. If the fir&s;t befall thee, no happi|ne&s;&s;e can be greater then thine; but if the &s;e|cond, without redre&s;&s;e thou &s;halt be <HI>ca&s;t into pri|&s;on:</HI>
<PB N="58" REF="33"> which is the la&s;t <HI>circumstance</HI> I before propo|&s;ed, and will ha&s;ten by rea&s;on of the time briefly to conclude.</P>
<P N="10">10 <HI>And thou be ca&s;t into pri&s;on.</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign"> &s;aith the <HI>Syriac, domum vinctorum;</HI> to wit, by the <HI>Sergeant,</HI> to whom the <HI>Iudge</HI> deliuered thee. That which breeds here a &s;cruple, is what this word <HI>pri&s;on</HI> &s;hould &s;ignifie. <HI>Conueniunt &s;imilit&egrave;r omnes</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Bellarmine, lib.</HI> 1. <HI>de Purgatorio, cap.</HI> 7.) All <HI>Interpre|ters</HI> concurre in this, that by this pri&s;on is meant <HI>hell:</HI> and thus farre he &s;peaketh <HI>ingeniou&s;ly.</HI> But marke the <HI>poore &s;hifts</HI> of &s;o great a <HI>&s;choller,</HI> to &s;et vp his <HI>Dagon</HI> againe, that hath &s;o often falne, before the <HI>Arke of God;</HI> hee is faine to <HI>rake hell</HI> it &s;elfe, to finde out <HI>Purgatory.</HI> For this hee goeth onward, <HI>In quo tamen multae &s;unt man&s;iones; aliae pro damnatis, aliae pro his qui purgantur.</HI> In this <HI>hell</HI> notwith&s;tanding are many <HI>man&s;ions,</HI> &s;ome for the <HI>damned,</HI> others for them which are to be <HI>purged.</HI> But a more <HI>ample map</HI> of this place, we haue in his <HI>&s;econd booke</HI> of Purgatory, and cap. 6. where hauing reiected 7. <HI>opinions,</HI> concerning this <HI>&s;ub|terranean Geography, the</HI> eighth he borroweth fro~ <HI>the Schoolemen,</HI> and &s;eemeth to approue, that this <HI>infernum,</HI> or <HI>hell,</HI> is a place within the <HI>bo&s;ome,</HI> or <HI>bowels of the earth,</HI> diuided (as the higher regions) into foure <HI>parts,</HI> whereof the lowe&s;t <HI>&s;incke,</HI> or <HI>coalehou&s;e,</HI> is <HI>hell;</HI> next aboue that, <HI>Purgatory,</HI> then <HI>Limbus infantum,</HI> where children go, that die <HI>vnbaptized;</HI> aboue all, <HI>Limbus Patrum,</HI> where the <HI>Patriarkes</HI> were faine to lodge, before <HI>Chri&s;ts Pa&s;sion;</HI> but then were remoued, and the place
<PB N="59" REF="33"> left empty. This &s;cantling of time will not per|mit me to examine all particulars, how our ad|uer&s;aries could come to &s;o perfect notice of all the&s;e places, as al&s;o &s;o <HI>di&s;tinctly</HI> to vnder&s;tand, what <HI>per&s;ons</HI> are there to be <HI>purged,</HI> and for <HI>what &s;innes;</HI> how <HI>grieuous</HI> the <HI>puni&s;hment</HI> is there in|flicted, by <HI>deuils,</HI> in a <HI>corporall fire,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Vid. Bellar. vbi &s;upra.</NOTE> how long it &s;hall <HI>endure,</HI> what <HI>&s;uffrages, ma&s;&s;es,</HI> or <HI>indulgences</HI> will <HI>a&s;&s;wage</HI> it, or <HI>remoue it,</HI> that the <HI>&s;oules</HI> can nei|ther <HI>merit,</HI> or <HI>demerit</HI> in &s;uch a ca&s;e, that they are <HI>alwaies certaine</HI> of their <HI>eternall &s;aluation,</HI> and this to be firmely <HI>beleeued</HI> as an <HI>article of faith;</HI> It will aske (I &s;ay,) more time, then your patience can allow me: I will &s;trike therefore at the roote, and &s;o pa&s;&s;e along. To make all this good vnto vs, <HI>Bellarmine</HI> produceth 10. places out of the old Te&s;tament, and &s;o many more out of the new. To all which in generall I an&s;were: Fir&s;t, out of <HI>Bellarmine</HI> him&s;elfe in the la&s;t chapter of his fir&s;t booke of Purgatory: Where being vrged by <HI>Peter Martyr,</HI> and our men, that <HI>Purgatory</HI> is not found in &s;cripture, and therefore can be no matter of <HI>faith;</HI> hath nothing to &s;ay but this, <HI>Ad primum ergo re&s;pondeo, Non e&s;t nece&s;&s;e vt Scrip|tura vbique omnia dicat. It is not nece&s;&s;ary that the Scripture &s;hould euery where mention all things,</HI> e&s;pe|cially where it may be patched vp with <HI>Apo&s;to|licall traditions.</HI> On which when <HI>Bellarmine</HI> al&s;o relyeth, for the proofe of this <HI>Ignis Fatuus;</HI> what doth hee,<NOTE PLACE="marg">In eundem locu~.</NOTE> but in effect (as <HI>Iunius</HI> well notes again&s;t him) ouerthrow his &s;cripture forces? Sith <HI>traditions</HI> take no place, but where &s;cripture
<PB N="60" REF="34"> faileth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. <HI>4.</HI> de verbo dei non &s;cripto. Lib. <HI>2.</HI> Epi&s;t. L. <HI>12.</HI> Deipno&s;op. Conuenit inter nos &amp; aduer&s;a|rios ex &s;olo lite|ralis &s;en&s;u peti debere argume~ta efficacia. Bellar. l. <HI>3.</HI> de verbo Dei. cap. <HI>3.</HI> Lib. <HI>1.</HI> de pur|gat. c. <HI>7.</HI></NOTE> by his owne doctrine in his <HI>fir&s;t generall Controuer&s;ie.</HI> But as that lunaticke <HI>Thra&s;ylaus</HI> mentioned by <HI>Horace,</HI> and <HI>Athenaeus,</HI> thought all the <HI>&s;hips</HI> to bee his <HI>owne,</HI> that arriued in the <HI>Ha|uen</HI> at <HI>Athens:</HI> &s;o where&s;oeuer there is <HI>fire</HI> doubt|fully mentioned of in <HI>Scripture,</HI> our aduer&s;aries &s;traight conuey it, to heate <HI>Purgatory kitchin.</HI> Se|condly, I an&s;were in particular, to the <HI>words</HI> of my <HI>text,</HI> which he e&s;pecially buildeth vpon. Fir&s;t, that they are <HI>&s;ymbolicall</HI> (as him&s;elfe confe&s;&s;eth) and therefore according to <HI>Aquinas</HI> and their owne <HI>Schooles, proue nothing.</HI> Secondly, whereas this particle <GAP DESC="foreign">, or <HI>vntill,</HI> may &s;eeme to enforce a <HI>deliuerance</HI> from this <HI>pri&s;on,</HI> and &s;o by &s;ome &s;hew of con&s;equence, <HI>their Purgatory,</HI> the <HI>argument</HI> be|ing thus framed: <HI>Thou &s;halt not come out, vntill thou ha&s;t paid the vttermo&s;t farthing; therefore, af|terward thou mayest come out.</HI> Saint <HI>Augustine</HI> (as he acknowledgeth) in&s;tanceth again&s;t this, both by that place of the <HI>P&s;almi&s;t,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 110.1.</NOTE> <HI>Sit thou on my right hand, vntill I make thine enemies thy foot-&s;toole;</HI> as al&s;o in that of the <HI>Euangelist,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 1.25.</NOTE> <HI>Io&s;eph knew not Ma|ry, vntill &s;hee had brought forth her fir&s;t begotten.</HI> Where the fir&s;t implyeth not, that after <HI>Christs enemies</HI> were &s;ubdued, hee &s;hould &s;it on Gods right hand no longer; nor the latter helpeth the <HI>inference of Heluidius,</HI> that after our <HI>Sauiours</HI> birth, <HI>Io&s;eph</HI> knew his wife. Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> therefore concludeth, that <HI>donec</HI> in this place &s;ignifieth, <HI>non finem poenae, &s;ed continuationem mi&s;eriae:</HI> not <HI>an end of paine,</HI> but <HI>the continuance of mi&s;ery; Semper &s;o|lues</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Hugo</HI> out of <HI>Remigius) &amp; nunquam per|&s;olues.</HI>
<PB N="61" REF="34"> Thou &s;halt euer be <HI>paying,</HI> yet neuer <HI>&s;atis|fie.</HI> Which expo&s;ition <HI>Caluin,</HI> and <HI>Bucer,</HI> and <HI>Mu&s;culus</HI> doe not only embrace: but <HI>An&s;elme,</HI> and <HI>Beda, Thomas,</HI> and <HI>Gorram, Ammonius,</HI> and <HI>Auendado, Maldonate,</HI> and <HI>Ian&s;enius,</HI> with I know not how many of their owne con&s;orts. But <HI>Bel|larmine</HI> vrgeth this further, and therefore we mu&s;t further follow him.<NOTE PLACE="marg">&V;bi &s;upra.</NOTE> <HI>Exempla B. Augu&s;tini non &s;a|tisfaciunt</HI> (&s;aith he.) <HI>S. Augu&s;tines</HI> examples, or <HI>in|&s;tances</HI> &s;atisfie not. For in the fir&s;t; <HI>Sit thou on my right hand, vntill I make thy enemies thy foot&s;toole,</HI> although I cannot inferre, therefore afterward Chri&s;t &s;hall not &s;it on Gods right hand; yet this is a nece&s;&s;ary con&s;equence, therefore there &s;hall a time come, when <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> enemies &s;halbe made his foote&s;tole. So in the &s;econd, <HI>hee knew her not, vntill &s;he had brought forth.</HI> Though I cannot ga|ther, therefore he knew her afterward, yet this I may argue, therefore &s;he was to bring forth. And no other is the con&s;equent in this place, <HI>thou &s;halt not come out, vntill thou ha&s;t paid the vtmo&s;t far|thing.</HI> Therefore <HI>there &s;hall be a time, when the vt|mo&s;t farthing &s;hall bee paid.</HI> But to this vtmo&s;t &s;traine of <HI>Bellarmines</HI> &s;ophi&s;trie, a meane <HI>Logician</HI> may ea&s;ily an&s;wer; that all this concludeth but a a <HI>nece&s;sitie</HI> of the thing to be done, not a <HI>po&s;sibility</HI> of the party to be able to doe it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">In. <HI>26.</HI> ver. <HI>5.</HI> cap. Mat.</NOTE> <HI>O&s;tendit debitum &s;oluendu~</HI> (which I take to be the meaning of <HI>Pi&s;ca|tors</HI> an&s;wer) <HI>non debitorem &s;oluendo:</HI> If it argue the <HI>debt</HI> to be paid; it inricheth not the <HI>debtour</HI> to be <HI>able</HI> to pay it. So that by <HI>equipollency</HI> it falleth to be &s;uch a <HI>connexiue propo&s;ition: If thou pay the vt|mo&s;t
<PB N="62" REF="35"> farthing, then thou mai&s;t be deliuered;</HI> which I deny any man can euer pay (hauing, by offending an <HI>infinite God,</HI> de&s;erued an <HI>infinite puni&s;hment</HI>) and therefore mu&s;t alwaies lie by it. For if <HI>&s;ome paines</HI> may &s;atisfie Gods Iu&s;tice in <HI>Purgatory,</HI> for a &s;mall offence; &s;hould not greater paines proportiona|bly in <HI>hell,</HI> do the like for a greater offence, and &s;o by con&s;equence, the <HI>deuils them&s;elues</HI> (which was <HI>Origens</HI> errour) in time might bee freed? The <HI>Fa|thers</HI> father not (how&s;oeuer <HI>Bellarmine</HI> martiall them) this <HI>glowing,</HI> and <HI>locall Purgatory;</HI> but right|ly vnder&s;tood, are as far from it as it from truth. For they make it not a <HI>hot-hou&s;e</HI> for the <HI>&s;oules of the elect,</HI> farmed by the <HI>Pope</HI> to the <HI>Deuill</HI> at a yeerely racke rent: but <HI>abdita quaedam receptacula</HI> (as <HI>Lombard</HI> hath rightly deliuered out of <HI>ancient learning</HI>) certaine <HI>vnknowne places of repo&s;e,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">4. <HI>Sent. di&s;t.</HI> 45.</NOTE> where purged at their <HI>di&s;&s;olution from the body,</HI> by vertue of <HI>Christs pa&s;sion,</HI> they <HI>rest from their labours in</HI> ex|pectance of the <HI>complement</HI> of that ioy, which they &s;hall receiue <HI>together</HI> with the <HI>body,</HI> at the reuniting againe, in the <HI>generall Re&s;urrection:</HI> wherefore Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> concludeth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. de peccat. Merit. &amp; Re|mi&s;&s;. cap. <HI>28.</HI> &V;id. Tabulam. Mercat. vniuer&s;.</NOTE> <HI>Non e&s;t vllus vlli locus medius, vt po&s;sit e&s;se ni&s;i cum diabo|lo, qui non e&s;t cum Chri&s;to.</HI> Iu&s;t therefore as &s;ome <HI>Geographers,</HI> for proouing of a <HI>blacke rocke</HI> many hundred miles about, directly vnder the <HI>North Pole,</HI> &s;end vs to <HI>Gyraldus Cambren&s;is;</HI> he to a <HI>Priest</HI> of <HI>Norway;</HI> the <HI>Priest</HI> to an <HI>Oxford Ma|gician,</HI> who was carried thither to &s;ee it by the <HI>Deuill,</HI> if wee will beleeue the narration: So the be&s;t proofes of our <HI>aduer&s;aries</HI> for their <HI>Subterra|nean
<PB N="63" REF="35"> Purgatory,</HI> come by many deductions, from the &s;ame <HI>Author;</HI> as it appeareth by the diuers <HI>ap|paritions</HI> they &s;o confidently alleage for it. But we taking <HI>parabolically</HI> this <HI>pri&s;on,</HI> for no better place then <HI>Hell,</HI> may re&s;olue without difficultie on this po&s;ition,</P>
<P><HI>That the wicked &s;hall be turned vnto Hell, and all the people that forget God.</HI></P>
<P N="11">11 I take it in the words of the <HI>Prophet, P&s;al.</HI> 7.19. to cut off all occa&s;ion of farther proofe. The <HI>v&s;e</HI> is a terrour to carele&s;&s;e worldlings, that runne the <HI>broad way</HI> &s;poken of by our <HI>Sauiour,</HI> and neuer marke where it leadeth. Come on therefore, thou incon&s;iderate and retchle&s;&s;e <HI>Chri&s;tian,</HI> and looke before thou leape&s;t, and if thou wilt needs to this pri&s;on, &s;ee thy entertainment. Horrible (out of doubt) was that <HI>&s;torme</HI> of <HI>fire</HI> and <HI>brim&s;tone,</HI> which con&s;umed <HI>Sodom,</HI> and the Cities of the Plaine.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 19.3.</NOTE> And fearefull was that <HI>&s;euenth plague of Egypt, Thunder,</HI> and <HI>Haile,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 9.23.</NOTE> and <HI>Lightning run|ning</HI> vpon the <HI>ground.</HI> And inferiour to neither, was that prodigious death of <HI>Corah, Dathan,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Num. 16.</NOTE> and <HI>Abiram,</HI> when the earth opened her iawes, and <HI>&s;wallowed them aliue</HI> into the pit with all their <HI>goods and families:</HI> but the&s;e are but a <HI>preface,</HI> a <HI>&s;parke,</HI> a <HI>droppe,</HI> a <HI>nothing</HI> to the euerla&s;ting <HI>tor|tures</HI> of Gods extreme&s;t vengeance. Neuer <HI>eye hath &s;eene, nor eare hath heard,</HI> nor heart of man hath conceiued the infinite bitterne&s;&s;e of the&s;e <HI>last vials of wrath.</HI> A <HI>bottomle&s;se dungeon,</HI> a <HI>lake</HI> of Gods <HI>wrath,</HI> a <HI>poole</HI> of <HI>fire</HI> and <HI>brimstone,</HI> a ga&s;t|ly <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>pitchy mysts, deadly fogges,
<PB N="64" REF="36"> hideous confu&s;ion, chaines of vtter darkene&s;&s;e. Tophet</HI> prepared of <HI>old, deepe, and large, burning with fire,</HI> and <HI>much wood, and the breath of the Lord</HI> kindling it as a <HI>riuer of brimstone.</HI> The&s;e very <HI>names</HI> of this <HI>Pri&s;on,</HI> mentioned in Scripture, &s;hould daunt, and amate the mo&s;t pre&s;umptuous worldling, that by altering of his cour&s;e of life, he might auoide the thing it &s;elfe. Of which, &s;hould I but farther relate the fearefull de&s;criptions, fre|quent in <HI>Fathers, and Schoolemen,</HI> (wherein all notwith&s;tanding come too &s;hort) I &s;hould not much racke your patience with horrour, by rea|&s;on of mine owne <HI>in&s;ufficiency,</HI> as abu&s;e it with <HI>prolixitie,</HI> by going beyond my time. O God! to depart from thee, to accompany the <HI>Deuill</HI> and <HI>his angels,</HI> to bee excluded <HI>from heauen,</HI> into <HI>euerla&s;ting fire,</HI> alwaies &s;corched, and neuer con&s;umed; euer dying, and neuer di&s;&s;olued; &s;ink|ing eternally, and neuer come vnto the bottome; weeping, gna&s;hing, freezing, frying, without the lea&s;t drop of hope, or hope of pity; I quake, and &s;top, and dare to go no farther. <HI>O indignation of the Almighty, fall not vpon vs: for our fle&s;h trem|bleth for feare of thee, and we are afraid of thy terrible iudgements. Wee acknowledge our lightest offences, to de&s;erue thy eternall anger, and this pri&s;on to be due for our dayly tran&s;gre&s;sions: but &s;pare vs, good Lord, for thy Sonne, who &s;pared&s;t not thy Sonne for vs: let not the thought of our last end be &s;o the la&s;t end of our thought, that by forgetting thy iustice, we neglect thy &s;eruice, &amp; pre&s;ume in the lea&s;t &s;innes, to offend thy infinite Maiesty.</HI> Heare vs, good Lord, for thy
<PB N="65" REF="36"> Church, and thy Church for thy Sonne, and thy Sonne, for both; to whom with thee, and the holy Gho&s;t, three per&s;ons and one God, be a&s;cribed all honour, power, and dominion, both now and euermore. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="37">
<PB REF="37" MS="y">
<P>EPHESVS BACKSLIDING: CONSIDERED AND APPLYED TO THESE TIMES.</P>
<P>IN A SERMON PREACHED AT OXFORD, IN S^t. MARIES, THE tenth of Iuly, being the Act <HI>Sunday.</HI></P>
<P>By IOHN PRIDEAVX, Doctor of Di|uinity, <HI>Regius Profe&s;&s;or,</HI> and Rector of <HI>Exceter Colledge.</HI></P>
<Q><BIBL><HI>IOHN 6.67.</HI></BIBL>
<P>Will yee al&s;o goe away?</P></Q>
<P>Imprinted at London by <HI>Felix Kyngston,</HI> for <HI>Iohn Budge,</HI> and are to be &s;old at his &s;hop in Pauls Church-yard, at the &s;igne of the greene Dragon. 1621.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="38">
<PB REF="38">
<HEAD>TO THE RIGHT WOR|SHIPFVLL MY VERY RE|VEREND AND WORTHY PATRONE, D^r BODLEY, <HI>CA|NON OF EXCETER, AND Par&s;on of</HI> SHOBROOKE IN DEVON.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>SIR,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_BEing ouerruled by &s;ome friends to print this Ser|mon, not framed, nor in|tended to any &s;uch pur|po&s;e: my choyce was ea|&s;ier to whom I &s;hould dedicate it. The world &s;eeth how much I am bound to you, for the late reall kindne&s;&s;e confer|red on me. For which, to &s;hew my &s;elfe thankfull by all hone&s;t meanes, the le&s;&s;e you expect it, the more I hold it due. Our <HI>Sauiour,</HI> who mo&s;t auoided popular applau&s;e, <HI>See thou &s;ay nothing to any man,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark. 1.14. Luk. 17.16.</NOTE>
<PB REF="39"> mi&s;liked not the <HI>Samaritane,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 21.12.</NOTE> that <HI>turned backe to giue thanks.</HI> And much it were to be wi&s;hed, that in the&s;e daies <HI>thankes</HI> would &s;erue. But &s;ince <HI>buyers</HI> and <HI>&s;ellers</HI> haue broken into the <HI>Temple;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26.15.</NOTE> <HI>Judas'es what will yee giue me,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 8.18.</NOTE> and <HI>Simon Magus' offering,</HI> make mo&s;t bargains for <HI>Bene|fices.</HI> Whereby God is di&s;honoured, worthy men dis-hartned, hirelings pre|ferred, good lawes deluded, holy things prophaned, the Church &s;tained, the people &s;tarued. The more remarkable therefore hath beene your free dealing with mee, &amp; your religious kin&s;man's M. <HI>Periam's,</HI> with M. <HI>Orford</HI> of our Col|ledge. If &s;uch Patrons might be patterns for di&s;po&s;ing the Lords portion, many in the country might bee better taught, and in our Vniuer&s;ities &s;ooner imploy|ed. My &s;elfe with this fauour of yours am the more affected, becau&s;e it comes from my natiue countrey, to which my be&s;t &s;eruices were otherwi&s;e deuoted. Be&s;ides, it &s;tands with a kinde of conue|niencie (in my de&s;ires at lea&s;t) that <HI>Exce|ter
<PB REF="39"> Colledge</HI> e&s;pecially, &s;hould bee pa|tronized from <HI>Exceter;</HI> from which it fir&s;t had it's <HI>name</HI> and <HI>Founder,</HI> and for which it hath bred (as by Gods grace it &s;hall continue to doe) &s;o many men of worth. Concerning this en&s;uing di&s;|cour&s;e, I haue little to &s;ay. It mu&s;t &s;peak for it's &s;elfe, now it appeares abroad. Iu|dicious is that po&s;ition of Saint <HI>Au|gustine, Mens liues are as their loues:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Haud quicquam facit bonos vel malos mores, ni|&s;i boni vel mali amores, epi&s;t. <HI>52.</HI> Amor e&s;t vis a|nimae, naturali quodam pondere ferens eam in lo|cum vel finem &s;uum, <HI>Lib. de nat. &amp; dignit. diuini amoris cap. 1.</HI></NOTE> where|of <HI>Bernard</HI> giues the rea&s;on, becau&s;e <HI>loue</HI> is to the <HI>&s;oule,</HI> as <HI>waight</HI> to the <HI>body,</HI> it caries it to his right place, if it bee rightly placed. As long as the <HI>Larke</HI> &s;o|reth vpward, &s;hee &s;ings without danger of the Net: but &s;tooping to gaze on the Fowlers deceitfull gla&s;&s;e, &s;he is quic|ly in&s;nared. We are all too farre in|amour'd with the glymp&s;es of things below; where the Diuels ginnes are al|waies in a readine&s;&s;e. Our ance&s;tors <HI>fir&s;t loue</HI> was more wi&s;ely fixed. My &s;ong therefore hath beene, <HI>Returne, returne,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 6.13.</NOTE> <HI>O Shulamite, returne, returne!</HI> Which how&s;oeuer may &s;ound har&s;h in &s;ome
<PB REF="40"> mens cen&s;ures; yet the better &s;ort (I tru&s;t) will conceiue my meaning to be good.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Homil. <HI>7.</HI> in ep. ad Philip.</NOTE> <HI>He that runnes in a race,</HI> (&s;aith S. <HI>Chry&s;ostome) is not &s;o much to eye the &s;pec|tators,</HI> as <HI>the marke.</HI> And, <HI>Readers,</HI> it can|not meet with more vnder&s;tanding, then it had <HI>hearers.</HI> Next to Gods glory, and the Churches good, if you accept it kindly, I attaine my &s;cope: To whom it is due <HI>first fruits,</HI> from him that a&s;&s;uredly re&s;teth</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Yours to di&s;po&s;e in the Lord Ie&s;u, IOHN PRIDEAVX.</SIGNED> <DATELINE><HI>From Exceter Colledge in Oxford,</HI> <DATE><HI>August</HI> 5.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="sermon">
<PB N="1" REF="40">
<HEAD>EPHESVS BACK-SLIDING: CONSIDERED AND APPLYED TO THESE TIMES.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>REVEL. 2.4.</HI></BIBL>
<P>Neuerthele&s;&s;e, I haue &s;omewhat again&s;t thee, be|cau&s;e thou ha&s;t left thy first loue.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_THere is nothing &s;o dange|rous to the e&s;tate of a Chri|&s;tian, that trauaileth heere from <HI>Egypt</HI> to the heauenly <HI>Canaan,</HI> as <HI>&s;pirituall pride,</HI> and <HI>carnall &s;ecurity.</HI> For &s;ee|ing that <HI>all our life is but a temptation,</HI> (as Saint<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Nemo &s;ecurus e&s;&s;e debet in i&s;ta vita, quae tota tentatio nomi|natur, vt qui fieri potuit ex deteriore meli|or, non fiat etia~ ex meliore de|terior. lib. <HI>10.</HI> Confe&s;&s;. cap. <HI>32.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Augustine</HI> confe&s;&s;eth;) <HI>great heede mu&s;t be taken,</HI> le&s;t <HI>he that &s;hould grow on from wor&s;e to better,</HI> by his carele&s;&s;e negligence <HI>fall away from better to wor&s;e.</HI> This was the <HI>Angels</HI> ca&s;e of <HI>Ephe&s;us,</HI> as my<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Ver. 1.</NOTE> Text &s;heweth; whom <HI>he that holdeth the &s;euen Starres in his right hand,</HI> and <HI>walketh in the midst of the &s;euen golden Candle&s;tickes,</HI>
<PB N="2" REF="41"> (that is,<NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Seb. Meyer apud Marlorat. in hunc locum. Rhemi&s;t. Anno|tat. Viegas in <HI>1.</HI> cap. Apoc. Sect. <HI>14.</HI> Ribera ibid. Bul|ling. conc. <HI>7. v. 5.</HI></NOTE> <HI>vpholdeth the Ministers of his Word,</HI> and <HI>continually &s;uruayeth his Churches, to repaire defects</HI>) vouch&s;afeth in this regard to rowze by an Epi&s;tle. That &s;eeing <HI>vn&s;en&s;ible decayes</HI> continued, in time proue <HI>great breaches, &s;lyding</HI> leades to <HI>falling, coo|ling</HI> to <HI>benumb'dne&s;&s;e, drowzine&s;&s;e</HI> to <HI>&s;leepe, &s;lack|ne&s;&s;e</HI> to <HI>defection, indifferencie</HI> to <HI>&s;encele&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> and a loathing of all Religion; <HI>Ephe&s;us</HI> might looke about <HI>from whence &s;hee had falne, and repent, and doe her fir&s;t workes:</HI> le&s;t the &s;uddaine approach of her Lord &s;hould take her loytring, and by <HI>remo|uing her Candle&s;tick,</HI> preuent her conuer&s;ion.</P>
<P N="2">2 For the clearer pa&s;&s;age to the words, &s;ome difference mu&s;t bee reconciled among Inter|preters, who are meant e&s;pecially by the <HI>&s;euen Angels,</HI> to whom the&s;e <HI>&s;euen Epistles</HI> are in gene|rall directed.<NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Ve&s;tigat arcan. &s;en&s;us in Apoca|lyp. Antuerp. <HI>1614</HI> lib. <HI>2.</HI> No|tat. <HI>1.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Alcazar</HI> the <HI>Ie&s;uit,</HI> in his new painted <HI>bulke</HI> vpon this <HI>Reuelation,</HI> &s;ayes, the <HI>Bi|&s;hops;</HI><NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Jn hoc cap. di&s;p. <HI>2.</HI> Foxe, Fulke, Bullinger in hoc caput conc. <HI>6.</HI> Viegas in hoc caput, &s;ect. <HI>1.</HI> Perer. in cap. <HI>1.</HI> di&s;p. <HI>15.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Pererius</HI> his fellow (together with &s;ome Ancients, <HI>Arethas, Andreas, Ansbert,</HI> and <HI>An|&s;elme,</HI>) think rather the <HI>people;</HI> S. <HI>Ambro&s;e, Haymo,</HI> and <HI>Beda,</HI> ioyne both together: and this is be&s;t approued of our <HI>reformed Interpreters.</HI> For how|&s;oeuer the <HI>in&s;criptions</HI> be to the <HI>Angels</HI> onely, who &s;ignifie (according to mo&s;t) not cele&s;tiall &s;pirits, but the <HI>Pastors of tho&s;e Churches,</HI> yet the <HI>contents</HI> concerne their<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">In tantum Angelorum no|mine Eccle&s;ias Catholicas vo|luit intelligi, vt iubeat Angelos poenitentiam agere. Aug. in Apoc. Hom. <HI>2.</HI></NOTE> flockes as neere as them&s;elues, and therefore in the former Chapter wee haue, ver&s;e 11. <HI>What thou &s;eest, write in a Booke, and &s;end to the &s;euen Churches which are in A&s;ia.</HI> Not that <HI>it is all one to write to the Church, and to the Head and Gouernour thereof,</HI> (as the<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">In ver. <HI>1 ^u^m.</HI> not. marg.</NOTE> <HI>Rhemists</HI> hence would
<PB N="3" REF="41"> gather, to &s;crue in, and intere&s;t their <HI>Pope</HI> to di&s;|po&s;e of all things:) but rather to expre&s;&s;e the bond betwixt the people and Pa&s;tor, who&s;e faults he is to reproue, or an&s;were for; and there|fore it &s;tands him vpon, to communicate what hee receiues. Now this <HI>particular Pa&s;tor</HI> heere of <HI>Ephe&s;us,</HI><NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">In hunc locum. Comment. in ver. <HI>1.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Lyra</HI> would haue to be <HI>Timothy. Ri|bera</HI> labours to refute that out of <HI>Metaphrastes;</HI> but <HI>Pererius</HI> and <HI>Alcazar</HI> take <HI>Lyra's</HI> part. Others name <HI>One&s;imus,</HI> &s;ome <HI>Tychicus.</HI> Be it either, or neither, it matters not, the Spirit of God being &s;ilent. For the be&s;t may grow remi&s;&s;e, and neede dayly inciting. As <HI>Ephe&s;us</HI> here,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Vid. D. Ioach. Vadian. in epi|tom. <HI>1.</HI> Nat. Hi&s;t. li. <HI>36.</HI> cap. <HI>14.</HI> Eu&s;eb. lib. <HI>3.</HI> Hist. Eccle&s;. cap. <HI>18.</HI> Baron. Annal. Anno Chri&s;t. <HI>98. ver. 2. ver. 3.</HI></NOTE> the <HI>Metropolis</HI> of <HI>little A&s;ia,</HI> and glory of <HI>I&ouml;nia,</HI> famous among&s;t the <HI>Gentiles,</HI> for her <HI>&s;ituation,</HI> and <HI>Temple,</HI> which (as <HI>Plinie</HI> reports) was 220. yeeres in building; fa|mous among&s;t <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> for Saint <HI>Iohns re&s;i|dence,</HI> and Saint <HI>Pauls Epistle</HI> vnto them; nay, which our <HI>Sauiour</HI> here commends in &s;uch ample tearmes, for her <HI>forwardne&s;&s;e</HI> in <HI>labour,</HI> for her <HI>con|&s;tancie</HI> in <HI>patience,</HI> for her <HI>zeale in reforming man|ners,</HI> for her <HI>di&s;cretion</HI> in <HI>di&s;masking Heretiques,</HI> who&s;e <HI>con&s;tancie, patience, labour,</HI> and that for a right end, <HI>for his names &s;ake,</HI> and that without fai|ling or <HI>fainting,</HI> are ingeminated with good ap|probation, immediatly before my Text; may haue <HI>&s;omewhat</HI> notwith&s;tanding, that is out of frame; their friends may ouer-&s;ee it, them&s;elues may &s;carce perceiue it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 1. v. 14.</NOTE> which the <HI>flaming eyes</HI> of Chri&s;t will pierce thorow to cen&s;ure, <HI>Neuerthe|le&s;&s;e I haue &s;omewhat again&s;t thee, becau&s;e thou hast left thy fir&s;t loue.</HI></P>
<P N="3"><PB N="4" REF="42">3 As though with his beloued Spou&s;e he had thus debated the matter: Thinke not, <HI>Ephe&s;us,</HI> but I take notice of all thy doings and &s;ufferings; thy labours plea&s;e me well, I approue thy works, I pitie thy patience, and cannot chu&s;e but com|mend thy di&s;cipline; but O that this fir&s;t affecti|on were &s;econded with the like alacrity! for doe not I perceiue thy coldne&s;&s;e in deuotion, thy carele&s;ne&s;&s;e in Preaching, thy &s;lackne&s;&s;e in per|forming any deede of charity? Ha&s;t thou not be|gun in the <HI>Spirit,</HI> and now art &s;inking <HI>backe</HI> to end in the fle&s;h? <HI>Ephe&s;us,</HI> I loue thee, and therefore may not &s;ooth thee; much good (thou &s;ee&s;t) I &s;peake of thee, yet <HI>&s;omewhat I haue against thee.</HI> I <HI>remember</HI> the <HI>kindne&s;&s;e of thy youth,</HI> it was hearty and thorow; but time hath cooled it, and thou art growne remi&s;&s;e.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 2.6. <HI>Jbid.</HI> v. 5.</NOTE> My <HI>left hand is vnder thy head,</HI> and <HI>my right hand doth embrace thee, I dayly &s;tay thee with Flaggons, and comfort thee with Ap|ples,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 1.7.</NOTE> as thou ha&s;t occa&s;ion; but thou ha&s;t <HI>turned a&s;ide</HI> to <HI>the Flockes of thy Companions,</HI> &s;o that when I come with <HI>my bedewed head,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 5.2.</NOTE> <HI>and dropping lockes in the night,</HI> to finde my accu&s;tomed entertain|ment, &s;aying, <HI>Open vnto me, my &s;i&s;ter, my Loue, my doue,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ibid.</HI> ver. 3.</NOTE> <HI>my vndefiled:</HI> thou telle&s;t me, <HI>thy coat is off, and thou can&s;t not put it on;</HI> that <HI>thy feete are wa&s;ht,</HI> and <HI>thou art</HI> loth to <HI>defile them:</HI> &s;uch excu&s;es thou ha&s;t to put me off, and make mee <HI>withdraw</HI> my <HI>&s;elfe.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ibid.</HI> ver. 4.</NOTE> Whereat though <HI>thy bowels</HI> are &s;ometimes <HI>moued,</HI> yet &s;tirring not to giue entrance as thou wert wont to doe; pretend what thou may&s;t, &s;ay what thou wilt, di&s;&s;emble how thou can&s;t, it is
<PB N="5" REF="42"> manife&s;t thou ha&s;t left thy fir&s;t heat of affection. And this I take to be the complaint of our wron|ged heauenly <HI>Salomon,</HI> included in the words I haue read vnto you. The &s;umme is,</P>
<P N="4">4 <HI>An Inditement of Ephe&s;us for back&s;liding and &s;ecurity.</HI></P>
<P>Wherein ob|&s;erue the
<LIST>
<ITEM>1 Exception, <HI>Neuerthele&s;&s;e;</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>2 Accu&s;ation, <HI>I haue &s;omewhat again&s;t thee.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>3 Fault, <HI>becau&s;e thou hast left thy fir&s;t loue.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>A Church militant cannot be without <HI>Excepti|ons;</HI> where <HI>exceptions</HI> are to be taken, <HI>Chri&s;t &s;tick|eth not to accu&s;e;</HI> and <HI>accu&s;e</HI> he doth neuer without a fault. The fir&s;t &s;heweth <HI>our infirmity;</HI> the &s;e|cond, <HI>our Sauiours integrity,</HI> and the third, <HI>&s;innes malignity.</HI> That wee may be <HI>humbled</HI> in the fir&s;t, and <HI>directed</HI> by the &s;econd, to <HI>correct</HI> the third: Within the&s;e bounds I &s;hall endeuour, by Gods a&s;&s;i&s;tance, and your Chri&s;tian patience, to con|fine my meditations. <HI>He that hath an eare to heare,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Reuel. 2.7.</NOTE> <HI>let him hearken what the Spirit &s;aith vnto the Chur|ches;</HI> to the Churches, as well of <HI>great Brittaine,</HI> as tho&s;e of <HI>little A&s;ia.</HI> For how&s;oeuer we flatter our &s;elues, our defections are more deepely to be <HI>ac|cu&s;ed,</HI> and <HI>perfections</HI> as &s;ubiect to a <HI>Neuerthele&s;&s;e,</HI> the note of <HI>exception</HI> to <HI>Ephe&s;us,</HI> notwith&s;tanding all it's good parts; which falleth here in order to be fir&s;t con&s;idered. <HI>Neuerthele&s;&s;e.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5 As in <HI>Arts,</HI> &s;o in <HI>Acts</HI> of morality; few ve|rities are &s;o generall, that admit not <HI>exception.</HI> If a Church might plead immunity, <HI>Ephe&s;us</HI> might
<PB N="6" REF="43"> here &s;tand vpon <HI>our Sauiours te&s;timony.</HI> For are not her <HI>labours</HI> in <HI>peace,</HI> and <HI>patience</HI> in <HI>trouble,</HI> (as <HI>Aretius</HI> well ob&s;erueth) once and againe repea|ted,<NOTE PLACE="marg">In hunc locum.</NOTE> and commended? Euill men &s;hould haue little ea&s;e in her,<NOTE PLACE="marg">ver. 2.</NOTE> for <HI>&s;he could not beare them.</HI> Di&s;|&s;emblers &s;hould not deceiue her, for &s;hee would <HI>try them,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Cor. 15.32.</NOTE> <HI>and finde them lyers.</HI> The <HI>bea&s;ts that a&s;|&s;aulted her,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 20.29.</NOTE> <HI>&s;hee fought with;</HI> the <HI>greeuous Wolues</HI> that were prophecied <HI>to enter amongst them,</HI> &s;hee endured and re&s;i&s;ted.<NOTE PLACE="marg">ver. 20. Chap. 3.1. ver. 14.</NOTE> <HI>Iezabel</HI> preuailed in <HI>Thya|tira, Sardis</HI> had <HI>a name</HI> without <HI>life, Pergamus</HI> was taynted with <HI>Baali&s;me,</HI> and <HI>Laodicea's luke-warme|ne&s;&s;e,</HI> was loth&s;ome to Gods &s;tomake. <HI>Ephe&s;us</HI> notwith&s;tanding e&s;capes all this, nay, her hate to the <HI>Nicolaitans</HI> for their <HI>community</HI> of <HI>wiues,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 3.16.</NOTE> and <HI>promi&s;cuous lusts</HI> (as <HI>Irenaeus</HI> and <HI>Theodoret</HI> obiect vnto them) is regi&s;tred afterwards as an e&s;peciall commendation.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>ver. 6.</HI> Lib. <HI>1.</HI> cap. <HI>27.</HI> vid. Eu&s;eb. lib. <HI>3.</HI> hi&s;t. Eccle&s;. ca. <HI>26.</HI> Theod. He|ret. Fab. lib. <HI>3.</HI> Ignat. Epi&s;t. <HI>9.</HI></NOTE> What could a man here picke out, that hee might iu&s;tly cen&s;ure? who would not e&s;teeme &s;uch a Church, to be in the rode way to happine&s;&s;e? yet when <HI>Christ</HI> comes with his <HI>Fanne,</HI> there is <HI>Chaffe</HI> found among&s;t the <HI>Wheat. Much</HI> is well, yet <HI>&s;omewhat</HI> wor&s;e then it was, or ought to be; the good is fo&s;tered, the ill excep|ted at. <HI>Neuerthele&s;&s;e.]</HI> Many things might be here gathered for our in&s;truction; one e&s;pecially from our Sauiours <HI>manner</HI> of <HI>reproofe,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Richard. de Sanct. victor. Viegas.</NOTE> which may be a patterne vnto vs all in that behalfe: fir&s;t, to take notice of, then ingenuou&s;ly to confe&s;&s;e Gods graces in any (if any be found at all) before we be too bu&s;ie with the imperfections of our brethren. For this puts the faulty out of &s;u&s;pition of bitter|ne&s;&s;e
<PB N="7" REF="43"> in the Reprouer, it encourageth men to do more, when &s;omewhat is commended, &amp; keepes them from de&s;perate re&s;olutions, by retayning them in a hope of a po&s;&s;ible recouery.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Aretius.</NOTE> It breedes a loathing of &s;in, by ranking it by vertue, whence it's vgline&s;&s;e is the more di&s;couered, and his iudgement the &s;harper cen&s;ured, that embraceth &s;o foule a Mon&s;ter, to the blemi&s;hing of tho&s;e good parts, which otherwi&s;e might highly grace him. Tho&s;e that will <HI>fi&s;h</HI> for <HI>mens &s;oules,</HI> mu&s;t looke how they bait their hookes: and too har&s;h an <HI>increpation</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Gregory</HI>) is like an Axe,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ferrum de ma|nubrio pro&s;ilit, cum de correp|tione &s;ermo du|rior excidit, &amp;c. Curae Pa&s;t. part. <HI>2.</HI> cap. <HI>10.</HI></NOTE> that flyeth from the handle, it may kill thy brother, when it &s;hould onely cut downe the bryers of &s;in. But this I note onely by the way, not purpo&s;ely follow, as not &s;o nece&s;&s;ary for the&s;e &s;oothing times, wherein mo&s;t are rather too <HI>plea&s;ing,</HI> then <HI>piercing. Ephe&s;us</HI> here &s;o commended, and yet ex|cepted at &s;o mainely, directs vs more v&s;efully to this ob&s;eruation:</P>
<P><HI>That the be&s;t Churches may be &s;ubiect, and are ly|able to exception.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6 It is v&s;uall with the <HI>Fathers</HI> to <HI>compare</HI> the <HI>Church</HI> to the <HI>Moone,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ambro&s;. lib. <HI>5.</HI> Epi&s;t. <HI>31.</HI> Aug. in P&s;al. <HI>10.</HI> &amp; <HI>104.</HI></NOTE> in regard of her vi&s;ible chan|ging, like to the others <HI>waxing</HI> and <HI>waning.</HI> But the &s;imilitude holds as well, in re&s;pect of her bor|rowed light, and &s;potted face; all the beames &s;he reflecteth to the world, are darted vpon her by the Sunne of righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e; and yet by rea&s;on of her vnequall temper, in her brighte&s;t &s;hining, &s;he appeareth &s;potty. Her &s;elfe acknowledgeth &s;o much, Cantic. 1.5. <HI>I am blacke, but comely (O yee
<PB N="8" REF="44"> daughters of Ieru&s;alem (as the Tents of Kedar, as the Curtaines of Salomon.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. <HI>3.</HI> de Doc|trin. Chri&s;t. c. <HI>32.</HI></NOTE> Whereupon Saint <HI>Augu|&s;tine</HI> commendeth this rule of <HI>Ticonius</HI> the <HI>Do|nati&s;t,</HI> which hee calleth, <HI>De permixta Eccle&s;ia.</HI> Whereby (&s;aith he) the Scripture, by rea&s;on of the <HI>temporall communion</HI> betweene the <HI>godly</HI> and <HI>wicked,</HI> attributeth that promi&s;cuou&s;ly to either, which originally groweth but from the one. <HI>Sa|lomons Curtaines</HI> (indeed) <HI>belong to the Church, but Kedars Tents are I&s;maels, who may not inherit with the free borne:</HI> yet the <HI>Beloued</HI> con&s;i&s;ting of both, hath the titles of both, tho&s;e &s;pots will not out; there will be &s;uch a <HI>&s;peckled breed,</HI> as long as the <HI>flockes ca&s;t</HI> their <HI>eyes</HI> on motly vanities, in the <HI>gut|ters</HI> of this world. All the types in holy writ, whereby the Church is &s;hadowed vnto vs, mo&s;t euidently &s;hew &s;o much. The <HI>floore</HI> hath in it <HI>Wheat</HI> and <HI>Chaffe,</HI> Math. 3.12. The <HI>net good fi&s;h and bad,</HI> Math. 13.47. See but into the nuptiall banquet of the Sonne, is not there one found without a <HI>wedding garment?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 22.11.</NOTE> Was there not a <HI>Cham</HI> and <HI>vncleane bea&s;ts</HI> in the <HI>Arke?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 7.</NOTE> <HI>fooli&s;h Vir|gins</HI> among&s;t the <HI>Brides Attendants?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 25.2. <HI>Ibid.</HI> ver. 32.</NOTE> <HI>Goates</HI> in the great <HI>Shepheards Flocke?</HI> And in his &s;tately Pa|lace,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Tim. 2.20.</NOTE> <HI>ve&s;&s;els</HI> as well to <HI>di&s;honour</HI> as <HI>&s;eruice</HI> and <HI>glo|ry?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2. E&s;d. 8.2.</NOTE> So that, that of the <HI>Angell</HI> to <HI>E&s;dras,</HI> may here pa&s;&s;e for <HI>Canonicall, when thou aske&s;t the earth, it &s;hall &s;ay vnto thee, that it giueth much mold where|of earthen ve&s;&s;els are made, but little du&s;t that gold commeth of: euen &s;o is the cour&s;e of this pre&s;ent world,</HI> and the Churches ca&s;e in this pre&s;ent world.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Cor. 5 1. <HI>Ibid. cap.</HI> 15.</NOTE> Thus the <HI>Corinthians</HI> were <HI>polluted</HI> with an <HI>ince|&s;tuous
<PB N="9" REF="44"> per&s;on,</HI> and troubled with <HI>Sadduces;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 3. Rom. 12.2, 16. Colo&s;&s;. 3.8. 2. The&s;&s;. 3.6. ver. 6. &amp; 15. ver. 9. &amp; 13. ver. 14.20. ver. 24. cap. 3.1. cap. 3.16.</NOTE> the <HI>Galatians bewitched,</HI> the <HI>Romanes, Colo&s;sians,</HI> and <HI>The&s;&s;alonians,</HI> had <HI>haughty &s;pirits, brabbling Sophi|&s;ters, brethren</HI> that <HI>walked di&s;orderly,</HI> crept in among&s;t them. But what neede I looke back &s;o &s;o farre? Appeare there not heere among&s;t the&s;e <HI>&s;euen A&s;ian Churches,</HI> an odious company of <HI>Nico|laitans?</HI> Hath not <HI>Satan</HI> here his <HI>Synagogue</HI> and <HI>&s;eat? Balaam</HI> and <HI>Iezabel,</HI> their Bawdes and Pan|ders? Reade we not of <HI>depths</HI> of <HI>Satan? Names of tho&s;e,</HI> that make a &s;hew <HI>to liue, without life? Luke|warmne&s;&s;e,</HI> and <HI>vaunting,</HI> and &s;en&s;le&s;ne&s;&s;e, among &s;o many e&s;peciall commendations? The <HI>Fathers</HI> te&s;timonies for this point, are not <HI>&s;entences,</HI> but <HI>volumes.</HI> It is the maine &s;cope of Saint<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Tom. <HI>2.</HI> Ortho|dox. &amp; Lucife|rian Dial.</NOTE> <HI>Hierome</HI> again&s;t the <HI>Luciferians,</HI> and of Saint<NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Tom. <HI>2.</HI> Epi&s;t. <HI>164.</HI> ad Emeri|tum Donati&s;t. Tom. <HI>7.</HI> Contra epi&s;t. Parmen. lib. <HI>3.</HI> tom. <HI>7.</HI> cont. Cre&s;con. grammat. lib. <HI>3.</HI> cap. <HI>37.38.</HI> lib. <HI>1.</HI> de ciuit. Dei ca. <HI>35.</HI> &amp; pa&s;&s;im alibi praecipu&egrave; tom. <HI>7. Can. 2.2.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Augu&s;tine,</HI> again&s;t the <HI>Donati&s;ts,</HI> and <HI>Pelagians,</HI> to proue that it is a poore pretence, to make a <HI>Schi&s;me</HI> in the Church, in regard of &s;ome <HI>di&s;likes,</HI> which might, and &s;hould be amended. For at what time was it euer &s;o free, that no <HI>exceptions</HI> could be taken? <HI>As a Lilly among thornes, &s;o is my loue among the daugh|ters. Non dictum est</HI> (&s;aith Saint<NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">In P&s;al. <HI>99.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Augu&s;tine) in medio alienarum, &s;ed in medio filiarum; It is not &s;aid amongst &s;trangers, but amongst the daughters.</HI> The <HI>&s;onnes</HI> of her <HI>mother again&s;t her,</HI><NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">E&s;aiah 9.21.</NOTE> <HI>Ephraim</HI> again&s;t <HI>Mana&s;&s;es,</HI> and <HI>Mana&s;&s;es</HI> again&s;t <HI>Ephraim,</HI> in one Nation; the<NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Math. 10.35.</NOTE> <HI>father</HI> again&s;t the <HI>&s;onne,</HI> and the <HI>mo|ther</HI> again&s;t the <HI>daughter,</HI> in one hou&s;e;<NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Gen. 25.22.</NOTE> <HI>E&s;au</HI> &s;truggling with <HI>Iacob,</HI> in one wombe; nay, the<NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Rom. 7.23.</NOTE> <HI>naturall man</HI> again&s;t the <HI>&s;pirituall,</HI> in the &s;ame members. And yet if we would goe farther, wee
<PB N="10" REF="45"> may chance to meet with <GAP DESC="foreign">,<NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Iames 1.8.</NOTE> <HI>a double-&s;oul'd man</HI> (if I may &s;o &s;peake) by rea&s;on of vn&s;table di|&s;tractions in the &s;ame minde. To &s;uch a <HI>lunacie</HI> are &s;ubiect all things vnder the Moone. Whiles wee <HI>dwell</HI> with <HI>Me&s;ech</HI> (as <HI>Dauid</HI> complaineth) &s;ome <HI>enemies to peace</HI> will bee &s;ure among&s;t vs.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 120.5.</NOTE> There will be alwayes <HI>tares</HI> to be <HI>weeded, vlcers</HI> to be <HI>cured, ruines</HI> to be <HI>repayred, rents</HI> to be <HI>amen|ded, &s;inkes</HI> to be <HI>purged, Leapers</HI> to be <HI>clen&s;ed, manners</HI> to be <HI>reformed, controuer&s;ies</HI> and <HI>heart|burnings</HI> to be <HI>taken vp</HI> and <HI>compo&s;ed.</HI> And the rea|&s;ons for it are diuers; that the <HI>Elect</HI> might be <HI>im|ployed</HI> and <HI>tried,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Cor. 11.19. Rom. 2.1.</NOTE> <HI>Reprobates</HI> left <HI>vnexcu&s;eable,</HI> Gods <HI>&s;trength</HI> appeare in our <HI>weakne&s;&s;e,</HI> &amp; his <HI>mercy,</HI> and <HI>Iu&s;tice,</HI> in &s;uch <HI>variety</HI> of <HI>obiects.</HI> Otherwi&s;e how &s;hould the <HI>Church</HI> be <HI>militant</HI> without an Aduer|&s;arie? Or why &s;hould it daily pray, <HI>Forgiue vs our tre&s;pa&s;&s;es,</HI> if here it might attaine to be freed fro~ all <HI>exceptions? Go therfore</HI> (&s;aith the Lord to <HI>Ezechiel) and &s;et a marke vpon the foreheads of the men that &s;igh, and that cry for all the abominations that be done:</HI> not about the &s;uburbs onely,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Zanch. lib. de Relig. Chri&s;t. cap <HI>24.</HI> the&s;. <HI>11.</HI> Aug. lib. <HI>2.</HI> Re|tract. cap. <HI>18.</HI> cap. <HI>9 4.</HI> Aug. Tom. <HI>2.</HI> ep. <HI>164.</HI> ad Emeri tum Donati&s;t. <HI>Mat. 24.40. In P&s;al. 99. Luke 17.34.</HI></NOTE> <HI>but in the mid&s;t of Ie|ru&s;alem?</HI> For how &s;hould <HI>Ieru&s;alem</HI> be vntainted? &s;eeing of <HI>two men</HI> together <HI>in the field,</HI> the one &s;hould be <HI>receiued,</HI> the other <HI>reiected, of two women grinding at the Mill, the one &s;hould be taken, the other left.</HI> What place more &s;ecure then <HI>our beds?</HI> (as S. <HI>Augustine</HI> &s;weetly amplifieth) yet thence it al&s;o followeth, that <HI>of two men lying together, the one &s;hall be taken, and the other left.</HI> Thus the Church mu&s;t <HI>beare</HI> tho&s;e whom &s;he cannot <HI>di&s;cerne;</HI> and <HI>lament,</HI> what &s;hee cannot <HI>amend:</HI> &s;hee mu&s;t not
<PB N="11" REF="45"> make <HI>a rent</HI> in the <HI>coate</HI> that is <HI>&s;eamele&s;&s;e;</HI> it is re|&s;erued for the <HI>Angels</HI> only at the <HI>la&s;t day,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 13.41. &amp; 25.32.</NOTE> betweene the <HI>Sheepe</HI> and <HI>Goats</HI> to make a <HI>&s;eparation.</HI></P>
<P N="7">7 How then can &s;ome fanaticall &s;pirits of our daies,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><P>See Bernards &s;eparati&s;ts &s;chi&s;me &amp; plain euidences, toge|ther with D^r. Hals Apologie again&s;t Brow|ni&s;ts,</P>
<P>Lib. de Bapti&s;t. <HI>Donatus</HI> &s;epa|rated for &s;ome bad ones in the Church.</P>
<P><HI>Nouatus</HI> and <HI>Lucifer,</HI> for want of &s;trict di&s;cipline. <HI>Au|dius</HI> for &s;ome le&s;&s;er abu&s;es as Epiphan. witne&s;|eth, Haere&s;. <HI>70.</HI> Mornaeus de Eccle&s;. cap. <HI>2.</HI></P></NOTE> with any &s;hew of rea&s;on be excu&s;ed (Belo|ued) who, vpon <HI>di&s;like</HI> of our <HI>di&s;cipline,</HI> and &s;ome <HI>ceremonies</HI> they fancy not, retire them&s;elues to <HI>con|uenticles,</HI> from their <HI>naturall mother;</HI> where they haue almo&s;t, as many &s;ects, as &s;ectaries, one <HI>te&s;tifi|ing</HI> (as they &s;peake) <HI>again&s;t another,</HI> with no le&s;&s;e gall, then giddine&s;&s;e? But the&s;e <HI>Saturnine,</HI> and <HI>me|lancholy-complectioned wanderers</HI> (as <HI>Zuinglius</HI> iu&s;t|ly tearms them) are fitter for a Phy&s;ician to purge, then a Diuine to confute. Their rea&s;ons are long &s;ithence an&s;wered by the <HI>Fathers,</HI> again&s;t <HI>Dona|tus, Nouatus, Lucifer,</HI> and <HI>Audius:</HI> I will touch therefore at them only, and &s;o pa&s;&s;e along. They reckon vp <HI>di&s;order</HI> in our <HI>Di&s;cipline, corruption</HI> in <HI>manners, &s;uperstition</HI> in <HI>Ceremonies,</HI> and the <HI>vnwor|thy comming</HI> of all &s;orts to the <HI>receiuing</HI> of the <HI>Sa|craments.</HI> But the&s;e things can only be matter of reproofe, not &s;ufficient, or efficient cau&s;es of &s;e|paration. When <HI>from the &s;ole of the foot,</HI> to the <HI>crowne of the head,</HI> no <HI>&s;oundne&s;&s;e was found in I&s;rael,</HI> did <HI>E&s;aiah</HI> flye to rayle, or rather &s;tay to preach? All the <HI>wayes</HI> (crieth <HI>Ieremiah</HI>) are <HI>polluted</HI> with the <HI>whoredomes,</HI> and <HI>filthy lu&s;ts</HI> of <HI>Iuda;</HI> where he continueth notwith&s;tanding to <HI>lament,</HI> not per|&s;wadeth to <HI>for&s;ake.</HI> So our <HI>Sauiour</HI> balked not the proud <HI>Phari&s;es,</HI> or poore <HI>Publicanes,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 1.6. Ierem. 3. Mat. 9.12. Mat. 2.17.</NOTE> that <HI>needed the Phy&s;ician;</HI> and S^t. <HI>Iohn</HI> leapt out of the <HI>Bath,</HI> (as <HI>Irenaeus</HI> reports it) not out of the Church
<PB N="12" REF="46"> wherein he found<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Authors differ in this Relation &s;ee Iren. l. <HI>3.</HI> c. <HI>3.</HI> Eu&s;eb. Hi&s;t. lib. <HI>3.</HI> cap. <HI>22.</HI> Theod Haeret. fabul. lib. <HI>2.</HI> Hieron. in &s;crip. Eccles. de Ioh. Baronium Tom. <HI>1.</HI> anno. <HI>74.</HI></NOTE> either <HI>Ebion,</HI> or <HI>Cerinthus</HI> the Heretike. But the <HI>Church</HI> (&s;ay they) <HI>must be pure without &s;pot or wrinkle,</HI> Ephe&s;. 5.27. True (&s;ayth S^t<NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Lib. <HI>1.</HI> Retrac. c. <HI>19.</HI> &amp;. l. <HI>2.</HI> c. <HI>18.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Augu&s;tine) ad hoc e&s;t electa, non, vt iam &s;it ta|lis, &s;ed quae praeparetur.</HI> It mu&s;t &s;triue &s;o here to be, and &s;hall be &s;o hereafter; but yet it is not; &s;aue onely in de&s;ire, and Chri&s;ts acceptation. So Saint<NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Ser. <HI>3.</HI> de Fe&s;t. omnium Sanct.</NOTE> <HI>Bernard</HI> out of Saint<NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Jn Hieremi. cap. <HI>31.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Hierome,</HI> the <HI>Apo|&s;tle &s;peakes not of the Church which now is, but of that which &s;hall be after the Re&s;urrection.</HI> The <HI>end is here expre&s;&s;ed, which Chri&s;t driues at,</HI> (&s;aith iudici|ous<NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Jn hunc locum</NOTE> <HI>Caluine) not that which is performed for the Church already.</HI> But doe not the<NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">E&s;ai. 48.20. Ier. 50.8. &amp; 51.6. Reu. 18.4.</NOTE> <HI>Prophets</HI> (&s;ay they) charge vs to fly <HI>Babylon,</HI> and all the <HI>abomi|nations</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> le&s;t we <HI>bee partakers both of her &s;innes, and plagues?</HI> Mo&s;t true; and we haue done it, not &s;o much by a<NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Junius in lib. &s;ingular. praepo&s;. controu. <HI>4.</HI> gene|ral. Bellar. c. <HI>17.</HI> A papatu, non Eccle&s;ia; ab Ido|lis, non templo; &agrave; tyrannid&egrave;, non republica; &agrave; pe|&s;te, non vrbe, re|cedimus, plan&egrave; coalituri quam|primum Anti-Chri&s;tum cum prauis humorib&abus; euomuerit. Mornaeus de Eccle. cap. <HI>10.</HI></NOTE> <HI>locall &s;eparation,</HI> as a <HI>nece&s;&s;arie renuntiation,</HI> not of the <HI>good</HI> &s;hee <HI>hath,</HI> but of the <HI>poy&s;on</HI> &s;hee <HI>hath added.</HI> Here then com|meth their <HI>Hebrew &s;ong,</HI> which <HI>they &s;ing in a &s;trange land,</HI> being the maine obiection they al|waies harpe on: If you (&s;ay<NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Ain&s;worth again&s;t Bernard. Robin&s;o~ again&s;t D^r. Hall.</NOTE> they) might &s;hake off Rome for the <HI>Antichristian lepro&s;ie,</HI> whereof &s;hee would not be <HI>cured;</HI> why might not we doe the like by you, for the <HI>Babyloni&s;h garments,</HI> which yet you retaine as the execrable thing among&s;t you? The ca&s;e would proue farre different (Belo|ued) if the&s;e reformers dad but the patience to di&s;cu&s;&s;e it. For fir&s;t, our refraining, rather then &s;eparation, from Romes communitie, was for knowne, and conuinced abominations, of<NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">Armin. the&s;. <HI>22^a.</HI></NOTE> <HI>pro|digious tyranny, manifest here&s;ie, open Idolatrie,</HI>
<PB N="13" REF="46"> whereunto we were <HI>commanded by the holy Gho&s;t, directed</HI> by the <HI>Fathers,</HI> and <HI>Councils, admoni&s;hed</HI> by their <HI>owne men;</HI> as<NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg">Lib. de Reli|gione, cap. <HI>24.</HI> the&s;. <HI>17.18, 19.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Zanchius</HI> iudiciou&s;ly proues, and the&s;e our wayward brethren cannot choo&s;e but acknowledge. Betweene whom and vs, the quarrell is farre otherwi&s;e; we &s;ay, for things <HI>meerely indifferent;</HI> they finde very <HI>doubt|full</HI> and <HI>controuer&s;iall.</HI> Secondly, our reformati|on was orderly by the Magi&s;trate, authorized by God in that behalfe: theirs tumultuous, as neere to rebellion, as without warrant. For as in Re|ligion, the body is one thing, the skirts and out|ward gouernement another; &s;o in reformation, priuate profe&s;&s;ion is one thing, and publike in|iunction another. Profe&s;&s;e the grounds of Reli|gion I may and mu&s;t, either without, or before, or again&s;t my Prince; but to reforme in publike gouernement, where &s;omething is truly ami&s;&s;e, who giues mee warrant?<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Chron. 34. Nehem. 2. Ezra. 1.</NOTE> Did the <HI>I&s;raelites</HI> at|tempt it without <HI>Io&s;iah?</HI> or <HI>Nehemiah</HI> without <HI>Artaxerxes?</HI> or <HI>Zerubbabel</HI> again&s;t <HI>Cyrus?</HI> In tho&s;e times (indeed) the Prophets prophe&s;ied, but built not, they directed, but corrected not. Euer their <HI>hearts &s;mot them,</HI> in but meddling with the skirt of the Lords Anointed in this be|halfe. Whom if they could not win to redre&s;&s;e all abu&s;es; they held their duties di&s;charged, and the fault transferred on the hinderers; whom they &s;taid to pray for, not for&s;ooke to di&s;grace. Whence ari&s;eth a third difference betwixt our renouncing <HI>Rome,</HI> and the&s;e mens leauing vs. Wee were neuer the <HI>Popes &s;ubiects,</HI> as they were
<PB N="14" REF="47"> Queene <HI>Elizabeths,</HI> and are now King <HI>Iames'es.</HI> Our Forefathers (indeede) acknowledged a cer|taine preeminence of that See; but it was but as a matter of cour&s;e, and courte&s;ie, at mo&s;t of humane con&s;titution, not of nece&s;&s;ity, or obli|gation by the Word of God. And is it all one to &s;hake off thy lawfull Magi&s;trate, to whom God &s;ubiecteth thee, and thy debo&s;ht compani|on, or whori&s;h neighbour, with whom thou mighte&s;t euer haue &s;tood in equall tearmes? Adde to this the incroaching of the <HI>Papacy,</HI> as much vpon the <HI>Prerogatiues</HI> of Commonwealths, as the <HI>Liberties</HI> of the Church: If the like could be obiected to vs, wee &s;hould be content to har|ken. La&s;t of all, wee were pre&s;&s;ed in Popery, to a&s;&s;ent to their bla&s;phemous here&s;ies,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Zanch. de relig. cap. <HI>24.</HI> the&s;. <HI>16.</HI></NOTE> and dam|nable Idolatry; no man might be &s;afely &s;ilent, or refraine in tho&s;e acts, which were mo&s;t again&s;t his con&s;cience. Now the&s;e men cannot com|plaine of the like hard mea&s;ure among&s;t vs. The refu&s;all of conformity brings no man to the &s;take; it &s;tops only in &s;ome <HI>cour&s;es,</HI> &s;ome dan|gerous <HI>priuate Spirits,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">D^r. Hall Decad. <HI>6.</HI> Epi&s;t. <HI>5.</HI></NOTE> from wrangling about circum&s;tances, to vnite all again&s;t the common aduer&s;arie, that &s;trikes at the foundation. For who euer tooke di&s;cipline to be more e&s;&s;entiall to the Church, then <HI>Order</HI> in an <HI>Army,</HI> or a <HI>Hedge</HI> to a <HI>Vineyard,</HI> or <HI>Proportion</HI> in a <HI>Body,</HI> or a <HI>Hemme</HI> to a <HI>Garment?</HI> An Army, Vineyard, Bo|dy, Garment, may be, but perfect and well it cannot bee, without the&s;e things. Now a di&s;ci|pline they acknowledge among&s;t vs, but not
<PB N="15" REF="47"> right. Say it were &s;o, (which they &s;hall neuer be able to proue) wilt thou for&s;ake thy hou&s;e, be|cau&s;e the wall is mudde? or leaue thy vineyard, becau&s;e the hedge in &s;ome places is ruinous? doth a ghe&s;t inuited to a banquet, &s;traight leaue the table in a fume, for the mi&s;placing of a tren|cher, or napkin, or becau&s;e &s;ome di&s;h is not &s;erued in aright? Diuers moderate &s;pirits there remaine among vs, who perchance approue not all our ceremonies, yet runne not to <HI>Am&s;terdam,</HI> as holding &s;uch a <HI>remedy</HI> more<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Nulla pote&s;t &agrave; &s;chi&s;maticis tanta fieri cor|reptio, id e&s;t, e|mendatio, quan|ta e&s;t &s;chi&s;matis pernicies, Ter|tul. de Prae&s;crip. cap. <HI>60. 1. Iohn. 4.1. 1. Cor. 14.32.</HI></NOTE> <HI>dangerous then the cau&s;e.</HI> The di&s;ciples of Chri&s;t (I am &s;ure) tooke wi&s;er cour&s;es, when the brethren had a contro|uer&s;ie among&s;t them about legall Ceremonies, Act. 15. the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> and <HI>Elders</HI> came together to con&s;ult, that <HI>priuate &s;pirits</HI> might be <HI>tried,</HI> and the <HI>Spirits</HI> of the <HI>Prophets &s;ubiected</HI> to the <HI>Prophets.</HI> Who if they giue no &s;atisfactio~ (as too oft it hath falne out in Popi&s;h conuenticles,) a faction cry|ing downe the truth, and the mo&s;t, the be&s;t, no po&s;ting is pre&s;cribed to the <HI>Popes inerrability;</HI> or <HI>&s;eparation</HI> allowed, to the wronged partyes; but the Apo&s;tles rule is to bee followed, Philip. 3.16. Fir&s;t the ground mu&s;t be &s;earched,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Vid. Parei. Iren. cap. <HI>12.</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> wherein the agreement is, and <HI>whereto</HI> we <HI>haue already attai|ned;</HI> then followeth walking &s;o farre by the <HI>&s;ame rule, minding the &s;ame thing.</HI> In which walke when we come to the point of parting, cro&s;&s;e waies mu&s;t not be taken, or &s;chi&s;mes rai&s;ed, but the <HI>perfect</HI> mu&s;t forbeare the weaker, and expect Gods good plea&s;ure,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver.</HI> 15.</NOTE> who <HI>will reueale</HI> in due time (as the Apo&s;tle there promi&s;eth) to tho&s;e that
<PB N="16" REF="48"> are <HI>otherwi&s;e minded,</HI> as much as concerneth his children to vnder&s;tand.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Vid. Aug. Tom. <HI>7.</HI> in Donati&s;t. &s;par&s;im per li|bros &s;ex.</NOTE> Thus <HI>Cyprian</HI> behaued him&s;elfe, in regard of the <HI>Donati&s;ts:</HI> who, though he di&s;&s;ented from the <HI>Catholikes</HI> in the point of <HI>rebaptization;</HI> yet hee for&s;ooke not the vnity of tho&s;e Churches, which cen&s;ur'd his opinion, to a&s;&s;ociate him&s;elf to a company of Schi&s;matikes. Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> &s;aith, that God permitted him &s;o to fall,<NOTE PLACE="marg">De Bapti&s;mo contra Donati&s;t. lib. <HI>7.</HI> cap. <HI>49.</HI></NOTE> that his example might more benefit the Church, in <HI>maintaining vnity,</HI> then his Iudge|ment hurt it, in defending the errour of rebapti|zing heretikes.</P>
<P N="8"><NOTE PLACE="marg">Aug. de vera Religione, Tom. <HI>1.</HI> cap. <HI>6.</HI></NOTE>8 Thus he that <HI>bringeth light</HI> out of <HI>darkne&s;&s;e,</HI> maketh &s;candals, the triall and triumph of his cho&s;en. <HI>Infidels</HI> he propo&s;eth to be <HI>conuerted by them, Heretikes</HI> to be the touch&s;tone of our <HI>doc|trine, Schi&s;matikes</HI> to be the <HI>credit</HI> of our <HI>con&s;tancy, Iewes</HI> to bee the foile of our beauty; &s;ome mu&s;t be <HI>inuited,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Idem. ibid.</NOTE> &s;ome <HI>excluded,</HI> &s;ome <HI>left,</HI> &s;ome <HI>led</HI> on by our euen carriage: &s;o many <HI>taskes</HI> are laid vpon the <HI>few labourers,</HI> who in the Lords great <HI>harue&s;t</HI> &s;hall euer finde no le&s;&s;e to &s;uffer, then do; both &s;cowring them from idlene&s;&s;e, and mini&s;tring matter of conque&s;t, according to that of Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine;</HI> Open enemies, and fal&s;e brethren, benefit mo&s;t commonly the Church by the pro|uidence of God;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Jbid. cap <HI>8.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Non verum docendo quod ne&s;ci|unt, &s;ed ad verum quaerendum carnales, ad verum aperiendum &s;pirituales Catholicos excitando.</HI> It was <HI>Lucifer</HI> the heretikes peruer&s;enes, that drew S. <HI>Hierome</HI> vnto the &s;tage; the wickedne&s;&s;e of <HI>Iulian</HI> that brought <HI>Cyrill</HI> to write; <HI>Arius</HI> &s;tirring, that
<PB N="17" REF="48"> cleared the <HI>article</HI> of the <HI>Trinity,</HI> by Great <HI>Atha|na&s;ius; Pelagius wilfulne&s;&s;e,</HI> that edged on Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> to &s;ift and di&s;couer &s;o narrowly the frailety of <HI>mans free</HI> will. And to touch a little on our latter times, were it not the <HI>Munkes ab&s;urdi|ties,</HI> that fir&s;t &s;et <HI>Luther</HI> a-worke? the <HI>Schoole|mens mixtures,</HI> &amp; <HI>brabbles,</HI> that occa&s;ioned <HI>Caluin, Martyr,</HI> and the re&s;t of our worthies, more clo&s;e|ly to &s;ticke vnto the text? Seldome there threat|neth a <HI>Goliah,</HI> but a <HI>Dauid</HI> ari&s;eth; or a fal&s;e heart for&s;aketh his &s;tation, but pre&s;ently &s;ome one or other is ready in the <HI>gappe.</HI> So our <HI>Harding</HI> yeel|ded vs a <HI>Iewell,</HI> our <HI>Campion</HI> an <HI>Humfryes,</HI> our <HI>Stapleton</HI> a <HI>Whitaker,</HI> our <HI>Martin</HI> a <HI>Fulke,</HI> our <HI>Hart</HI> a <HI>Rainolds:</HI> to &s;pare the mode&s;tie of the li|uing, who take the &s;ame cour&s;es. And I make no doubt, but that <HI>Socinus bla&s;phemies, Armini|us &s;ubtilties, Vor&s;tius nouelties, Bertius quiddities,</HI> &s;hall rather bee an occa&s;ion of farther clearing, then &s;haking the &s;ettled truth among&s;t vs; as the clamours of the <HI>Vbiquitaries</HI> haue beene, for the <HI>Sacrament, grace,</HI> and <HI>prede&s;tination</HI> in the refor|med Churches of <HI>Germanie.</HI> Courage, courage therefore (my deare Chri&s;tian brethren) we &s;ee the <HI>ground</HI> whereon our <HI>lot</HI> is <HI>falne.</HI> What&s;oeuer now hapneth, hath beene foretold, and fore|&s;ampled, and therefore &s;hould be the le&s;&s;e offen|&s;iue, becau&s;e &s;o well foreknowne. Our taske re|maineth, to <HI>gather</HI> with <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 11.23.</NOTE> not <HI>&s;catter</HI> with the <HI>enuious,</HI> or <HI>&s;eparate</HI> with the <HI>male-content;</HI> and when we haue done our be&s;t, yet <HI>&s;omewhat</HI> may be obiected, that maketh again&s;t vs. The <HI>accu&s;a|tion</HI>
<PB N="18" REF="49"> of <HI>Ephe&s;us,</HI> and &s;econd member of my text; whereof I will endeuour to gather <HI>&s;omewhat.</HI></P>
<P N="9">9 <GAP DESC="foreign">] by an v&s;ual <HI>Ellip&s;is,</HI> for <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>I haue against thee,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">In hunc locum, vid. Bezam in Mar. <HI>6.19.</HI> de phra&s;i <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> for I haue <HI>&s;omewhat</HI> again&s;t thee, or to accu&s;e thee of: as both <HI>Beza</HI> and <HI>Camerari|us</HI> ob&s;erue. Men may ouer&s;ee much, or di&s;&s;em|ble what they &s;ee, or plea&s;e them&s;elues with the pre&s;ent, or be mi&s;informed by others; but our Sa|uior deales more roundly &amp; &s;oundly. I haue (&s;aith he) not a &s;u&s;picion only, but <HI>&s;omewhat,</HI> as before for <HI>Ephe&s;u's</HI> commendation, &s;o here <HI>against her.</HI> Sweet <HI>Ie&s;us!</HI> art thou become an accu&s;er? wilt thou our onely Aduocate bee <HI>extreme to marke what is ami&s;&s;e?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 22.31, 32.</NOTE> It's <HI>Sata~s</HI> office to <HI>winnow;</HI> thy pray|er was wont to be, <HI>that the faith of thine might not faile:</HI> and may <HI>&s;omewhat</HI> now incen&s;e thee, that ha&s;t paid the <HI>ran&s;ome for all our &s;innes?</HI> But <HI>feare not little flocke;</HI> he that <HI>strikes,</HI> will <HI>heale.</HI> This <HI>&s;omewhat</HI> through his mercy will proue as much as nothing. <HI>Satan</HI> accu&s;eth through malice, to condemne; but Chri&s;t through loue, to amend thee.<NOTE PLACE="marg">In textum.</NOTE> <HI>Non de&s;erit ad poenam,</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Richardus &agrave; Sancto Victore) &s;ed monet ad poenitentiam.</HI> His ac|cu&s;ations are in&s;tructions, his cha&s;ti&s;ements peace, his <HI>precious balmes</HI> &s;hall neuer <HI>breake our heads.</HI> As a <HI>Surgeon</HI> being to lance his be&s;t-belo|ued child,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Jn Ezechiel. homil. <HI>11.</HI> Non parcit, vt parcat, non mi|&s;eretur, vt ma|gis mi&s;ereatur, Hieron. in Ezec. cap. <HI>7.4.</HI></NOTE> he long <HI>handleth &s;oftly</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Gregory) before he &s;trikes,</HI> and then <HI>cutteth</HI> and <HI>weepeth,</HI> and weepeth, and <HI>cutteth againe,</HI> (as Saint <HI>Bernard</HI> feelingly expre&s;&s;eth it;) otherwi&s;e <HI>&s;pa|ring</HI> would bee <HI>&s;pilling,</HI> in &s;uch a pleuri&s;y, which cannot bee cured without letting blood; &s;o
<PB N="19" REF="49"> this <HI>great Phy&s;ician</HI> of our &s;oules will not &s;ticke to reproue <HI>any thing,</HI> where <HI>&s;omething</HI> may grow, to &s;et <HI>all things</HI> out of order. Whence I infer, that
<Q><P>The &s;malle&s;t faults in the Church are not to pa&s;&s;e vncontrouled:</P>
<P>No toleration is to be granted for any thing that is ami&s;&s;e, either in Pa&s;tor, or people.</P></Q></P>
<P N="10">10 As the <HI>plague</HI> is in the body, &s;o is <HI>&s;inne</HI> in the &s;oule; nothing &s;ooner infecteth, &s;preadeth, killeth: being like a bemired Dogge, that in fawning, defileth;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 13.31.</NOTE> &s;peedier then a <HI>graine</HI> of <HI>Mu|&s;tard-&s;eed,</HI> from the lea&s;t <HI>&s;eed,</HI> becomming the <HI>greate&s;t amongst hearbes.</HI> Not to qua&s;h therefore in the <HI>egge</HI> this <HI>venomous Cockatrice,</HI> is to <HI>fo&s;ter</HI> it again&s;t our &s;elues, till it be vnconquerable; and not to <HI>purge</HI> the lea&s;t <HI>leauen thereof,</HI> is to <HI>endanger,</HI> and corrupt the whole <HI>ma&s;&s;e</HI> of goodne&s;&s;e. In re|gard whereof, the <HI>walker amongst the Candle&s;ticks,</HI> with the <HI>two-edged &s;word</HI> in his mouth, hath fur|ni&s;hed out his Prophets to be fit for &s;uch a pur|po&s;e. One hath his <HI>forehead as an Adamant, har|der then a flint, not to be di&s;mayed at mens proud lookes, how&s;oeuer they be hard-hearted, and impu|dent,</HI> Ezech. 3.8. Another is a <HI>fenced brazen wall, not to be preuailed again&s;t,</HI> Ierem. 15.20. And hence grew the re&s;olution of poore &s;illy Prophets, not to fauour the lea&s;t offences in the greate&s;t per|&s;ons. <HI>Samuel</HI> is bold with <HI>Saul, Wherefore didst thou euill in the &s;ight of the Lord?</HI> 1. Sam. 15.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;e 19.</NOTE> <HI>Na|than</HI> with <HI>Dauid,</HI> Wherfore ha&s;t thou <HI>de&s;pi&s;ed the commandement of the Lord?</HI> 2. Sam. 12.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;e 9.</NOTE> So <HI>Hanani</HI>
<PB N="20" REF="50"> to <HI>A&s;a,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;e 9.</NOTE> <HI>Thou ha&s;t done fooli&s;hly,</HI> 2. Chron. 16. <HI>Aza|riah</HI> to <HI>Vzziah, It pertaineth not to thee, Vzziah, to burne Incen&s;e to the Lord,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;e 18.</NOTE> 2. Chro. 26. <HI>Iohn Baptist</HI> to <HI>Herod, It is not lawfull for thee, to haue thy bro|thers wife,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;e 4.</NOTE> Math. 14. No &s;inne <HI>in his owne nature,</HI> may pa&s;&s;e heere for <HI>veniall;</HI> (as the<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Bellarm. lib. <HI>1.</HI> de Ami&s;&s;ione grat. &amp; &s;tatu peccat. cap. <HI>9.</HI> &amp; &s;eq.</NOTE> <HI>Romanists</HI> &s;ooth there Popelings;) nay <HI>concupi&s;cence</HI> it &s;elfe, &s;o extenuated by the<NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Thom. <HI>1.2.</HI> q. <HI>85.</HI> ar. <HI>3.</HI> Bonau. in <HI>2.</HI> Sent. d. <HI>32.</HI> q. <HI>1.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Schoolemen,</HI> and pargetted ouer by the<NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Bellarmin. de Ami&s;&s;. grat. &amp; &s;tatu pecc. lib. <HI>5.</HI> cap. <HI>5.</HI> Greg. de Valent. in <HI>1. 2.</HI> q. <HI>82.</HI> di&s;p. <HI>6.</HI> q. <HI>12.</HI> punct. vnice.</NOTE> <HI>Ie&s;uites,</HI> mu&s;t here come vnder the la&s;h. For Gen. 6.5. is not <HI>exception</HI> taken to the very <HI>imagination of the thoughts?</HI> Doth not <HI>Dauid</HI> acknowledge the <HI>wickedne&s;&s;e</HI> of his <HI>&s;haping,</HI> and <HI>pollution</HI> of his <HI>conception,</HI> P&s;al. 51? And that <HI>cho|&s;en ve&s;&s;ell S. Paul,</HI> fiue times in the &s;ixth to the <HI>Ro|manes,</HI> &s;ixe times in the &s;euenth, and three times in the eighth, di&s;claime, by the name of &s;inne, our <HI>originall corruption?</HI> What fault more pardonable in the&s;e our dayes, then the <HI>remi&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> of a father to <HI>vntoward children?</HI> Or the carefulne&s;&s;e of a <HI>young man,</HI> to hold his owne? Or the <HI>forwardne&s;&s;e</HI> of a <HI>man of parts</HI> to purcha&s;e preferment?<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Sam. 4.18. Mar. 10.21.</NOTE> Yet <HI>Eli</HI> &s;marted for the fir&s;t, and the <HI>young man</HI> in the Go&s;pell (otherwi&s;e commended) was touched by our <HI>Sauiour</HI> for the &s;econd,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 8.23.</NOTE> and the <HI>gall</HI> of <HI>Si|mon Magus</HI> was broken for the third. The rea&s;on whereof is pregnant. The commandement is peremptory again&s;t all (as the <HI>Apostle</HI> vrgeth it) <HI>Thou &s;halt not lu&s;t.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7.7.</NOTE> Now a Botch is neuer cured, as long as the core remaineth. Excrements grow in dead carka&s;&s;es,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Scintilla erat Arrius, &amp;c. lib. <HI>3.</HI> Comment. in Galat. c. <HI>5.</HI></NOTE> while the humour la&s;teth. And the fire increa&s;eth, as the fewell is mini&s;tred. <HI>Arrius</HI> was but a <HI>&s;parke</HI> in the beginning, (&s;aith
<PB N="21" REF="50"> Saint <HI>Hierome</HI>) but being not then troden out, it co&s;t the world a groane to quench his here&s;ie. <HI>The lea&s;t cranny or hole vn&s;topped (as</HI> Saint <HI>Chry&s;o|&s;tome</HI> well adui&s;eth) <HI>is &s;ufficient to &s;inke the large&s;t &s;hip.</HI> Wilt thou then except at a <HI>moate</HI> in thy <HI>bro|thers eye,</HI> and can&s;t thou fauour a &s;inne to fe&s;ter in his conuer&s;ation?<NOTE PLACE="marg">In cap. <HI>2.</HI> Apo|calyp&s;. <HI>1.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Vnhappy friend&s;hip</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Car|thu&s;ian) quae illum quem diligit, tacendo tradit dia|bolo!</HI> God &s;aue euery good Chri&s;tian from &s;uch a friend, who by &s;oothing and forbearing, will damne his &s;oule! He betrayeth therefore his bro|ther, that fauoureth his eares, to breake his necke, &s;eeing <HI>&s;omewhat vncontrolled,</HI> may grow to <HI>any thing,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 12.45.</NOTE> &amp; one <HI>diuell finding entrance to an hou&s;e &s;wept and garni&s;hed, will quickly get a company farre wor&s;e then him&s;elfe.</HI></P>
<P N="11">11 If then no fault in a Church, in a family, in a priuate per&s;on, in &s;ub&s;tance or circum&s;tance, whether it be much, or <HI>&s;omewhat,</HI> mu&s;t be &s;uffe|red vnchecked; what impudencie armes our ad|uer&s;aries the <HI>Papi&s;ts,</HI> to mention a <HI>toleration</HI> of their <HI>&s;uper&s;tition,</HI> e&s;pecially among&s;t vs, who&s;e eyes God hath &s;o farre opened to &s;ee their abo|minations? Hath the Lord &s;o mercifully freed vs from this <HI>&s;pirituall Egypt,</HI> and &s;hall we againe be longing for their <HI>Pepons</HI> and <HI>Onyons?</HI> Hath hee enlightned vs &s;o clearely by the <HI>lanthorne</HI> of <HI>his Word,</HI> not to make v&s;e of it our &s;elues, but to &s;ee how gro&s;ly our aduer&s;aries are mi&s;&s;eled to cro&s;&s;e it? It cannot be the conceit of a true Chri&s;tian, to be &s;o fal&s;e-hearted to his Lord and Ma&s;ter. If <HI>Baal</HI> be God, profe&s;&s;e it wholely; but if the <HI>Lord
<PB N="22" REF="51"> be God,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 22. Ver. 11.</NOTE> cur&s;ed be &s;uch halting. A <HI>plow</HI> of an <HI>Oxe</HI> and an <HI>A&s;&s;e,</HI> a garment of <HI>Lin&s;ie-wool&s;ie, Mermaids</HI> halfe fi&s;h and halfe fle&s;h, <HI>Centaures</HI> halfe hor&s;e and halfe man, are mon&s;trous and abominable in his iealous affection.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. <HI>7.</HI> ver. <HI>1.</HI> &amp; &s;eq.</NOTE> <HI>When the Lord thy God &s;hall bring thee into the land</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> to <HI>I&s;rael) which thou goe&s;t to po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e, thou &s;halt make no couenant with the people thereof,</HI> but downe with their <HI>Groues,</HI> and <HI>burne</HI> their <HI>Images with fire: no marriages</HI> mu&s;t be made betweene them and Gods people: and rea&s;ons are giuen;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 23.33.</NOTE> <HI>It will turne thy children to &s;erue other gods; It will be a &s;nare vnto thee.</HI> And did it not proue &s;o to <HI>&s;trong Sam&s;on,</HI> to <HI>wi&s;e Salomon,</HI> to <HI>vxorious Achab,</HI> to all that euer were drawne to this indifferencie? It is not for nothing then, that <HI>E&s;ay</HI> and <HI>Ieremy</HI> were &s;o earne&s;t with <HI>I&s;rael,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ai. 52. Ierem. 51. 2. Cor. 6.14.</NOTE> to &s;e|uer them&s;elues from <HI>Babylon:</HI> Saint <HI>Paul</HI> with the <HI>Corinthians,</HI> not to <HI>beare</HI> the <HI>yoke</HI> with <HI>vnbelee|uers:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. 2. Ioh. 10.</NOTE> Saint <HI>Iohn</HI> with all, not to afford as much as an <HI>Aue, good day, or good night</HI> to an ob&s;tinate Heretike. And not to tire your patience with examples in this kinde;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Bellar. in Praef. ad primam con|trou. Theod. lib. <HI>4.</HI> hi&s;t. cap. <HI>14.</HI></NOTE> the very <HI>Boyes</HI> of <HI>Samo|&s;atene, &s;olemnly ca&s;t into the fire a Tennis-Ball, in the mid&s;t of their Market place</HI> (as <HI>Bellarmine</HI> him&s;elfe relates out of <HI>Theodoret</HI>) becau&s;e it had but <HI>touch|ed</HI> the <HI>foot of the A&s;&s;e,</HI> whereon <HI>Lucius</HI> rode, their <HI>hereticall Bi&s;hop.</HI> But what neede I in&s;tance in Chri&s;tians? The Heathens them&s;elues haue been euer &s;crupulous, not ra&s;hly to allow of &s;uch a blending, or mixture of Religions. It is the an|cient Latine of the old Law in <HI>Tully,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. <HI>2.</HI> de legib.</NOTE> <HI>Nemo ha|be&s;sit Deos nouos &amp; aduenas, ni&s;i public&egrave; a&s;citos:</HI>
<PB N="23" REF="51"> priuate men, mu&s;t &s;ubmit them&s;elues, to publike conformity: <HI>new gods,</HI> and <HI>&s;trange gods,</HI> mu&s;t come in vpon examination. In regard whereof <HI>Atilius Regulus</HI> by a decree of the <HI>Senate</HI> (as <HI>Liuie</HI> te&s;tifieth) was to gather all bookes of Ceremo|nies, at a certaine day,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Lib.</HI> 25.</NOTE> to &s;top variety of Religi|ons. So <HI>Herodotus</HI> reports, that the King of <HI>Scy|thia</HI> &s;lew <HI>Anachar&s;is</HI> the Philo&s;opher,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Lib.</HI> 4.</NOTE> for wor&s;hip|ping the <HI>mother</HI> of the <HI>gods</HI> after the <HI>Athenian</HI> manner. <HI>Heliogabalus</HI> (indeed) with <HI>Adrian,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">In Heliog. &amp; Adrian. Iouinian. Socrat. lib. <HI>3.</HI> cap. <HI>21.</HI> Valens Arianus Theod. l. <HI>4.</HI> c. <HI>22.</HI> Nicephor. libr. <HI>10.</HI> cap. <HI>32.</HI></NOTE> and &s;ome other Romane <HI>Emperours</HI> (as <HI>Lampridius</HI> re|cords it) commanded all manner of wor&s;hip in one Temple; but it tended to no other purpo&s;e, then the like &s;tratagem of <HI>Iulian</HI> the <HI>Apo&s;tata,</HI> who gaue heretikes freedome among&s;t right belee|uers, not that hee cared for either, but that by their mutuall di&s;tractions, hee might de&s;troy both. <HI>Tum enim reddidit Ba&s;ilicas haereticis</HI> (&s;aith Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine) quando templa Daemonijs.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Epi&s;t.</HI> 166.</NOTE> Such a good commodity came by the <HI>toleration of here|tikes,</HI> that they that could endure it, &s;hould <HI>take Diuell and all</HI> for company. Excellent therefore is Saint <HI>Ba&s;ils</HI> re&s;olution to the <HI>Pre&s;ident</HI> of <HI>Valens</HI> the <HI>Emperour;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Theodoret. lib. <HI>4.</HI> cap. <HI>17.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Tho&s;e that are throughly &s;ea&s;oned with true Religion, will rather &s;uffer all kindes of death, then giue way for the altering of one &s;yllable.</HI> A man would thinke that there were but &s;mall difference (it is but a little <HI>Iota</HI>) betweene <GAP DESC="foreign">,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. <HI>2.</HI> cap. <HI>18.</HI> &amp; <HI>19.</HI> &amp; Hi&s;t. Tripart. lib. <HI>5.</HI> cap. <HI>21.33.</HI> Vid. Bellar. de laicis, l. <HI>3.</HI> c. <HI>19.</HI></NOTE> and <GAP DESC="foreign">, yet the <HI>right beleeuers</HI> could neuer be brought, (as <HI>Theodoret</HI> witne&s;&s;eth) either to omit the one, or admit the other. <HI>Syluanus</HI> and <HI>Eu&s;tathius</HI> boldly told the <HI>Emperour</HI> him&s;elfe (it is
<PB N="24" REF="52"> recorded in the 5. Booke and 24. Chapter of the <HI>Tripartite Hi&s;torie) Power thou ha&s;t (O Emperour) to puni&s;h vs, but neuer to driue vs from the tenents of our fore-fathers.</HI> To adde politike con&s;iderations, I li&s;t not. The world &s;eeth how little, <HI>Polonia</HI> and our <HI>neerer neighbours</HI> haue gotten, by practi&s;ing this <HI>Alcoran Diuinity</HI> of tolerating diuers Religi|ons:<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Azoar.</HI> 2. <HI>&amp;</HI> 119.</NOTE> which how&s;oeuer <HI>Par&s;ons,</HI> with others of our <HI>homebred vipers,</HI> in their diuers <HI>&s;upplications</HI> to <HI>His Maie&s;tie,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. <HI>3.</HI> de Tri|plic. homin. offic. cap. <HI>14.</HI></NOTE> haue pre&s;umed mo&s;t impudently to <HI>plead for:</HI> yet <HI>Weston</HI> their owne man, mo&s;t earne&s;tly dete&s;ts it;<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Promp. Cath. &s;er. <HI>6.</HI> po&s;t. Pa&s;c.</NOTE> <HI>Stapleton</HI> rayles at<NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg"><HI>Lib.</HI> 3. <HI>Polit. cap.</HI> 7. Ver&s;. 5.</NOTE> <HI>Bodin,</HI> for but mentioning &s;uch a <HI>liberty;</HI> the <HI>Rhemists</HI> conclude out of <HI>Cyprian,</HI> and <HI>Hilarie,</HI> vpon the fourth to the <HI>Ephe&s;ians,</HI> that it is not to be en|dured. And marke but BELLARMINES owne words (who is of the &s;ame opinion, in the nine|teenth Chapter of his booke <HI>de Laicis) Catholici non patiuntur in &s;uo grege vllos, qui o&s;tendunt vllo &s;igno externo, &s;e fauere Lutheranis.</HI> The <HI>Catholikes</HI> (&s;aith hee) <HI>doe not &s;uffer any in their flocke, that &s;hewe by any outward &s;igne, that they doe but as much as fauour the Lutheranes.</HI> And would they expect that of vs, which they them&s;elues pro|fe&s;&s;e, to be impious to aske, and irreligious to grant? or &s;hould wee endure &s;uch impudencie, that offereth to propo&s;e that which &s;uppo&s;eth vs to be <HI>Atheists?</HI> What doe they then but betray Religion, and expo&s;e them&s;elues to all &s;ides ha|tred, who in &s;uch a ca&s;e, but &s;tagger, or expre&s;&s;e not them&s;elues? If therefore <HI>thou be on our &s;ide,</HI> tumble out the <HI>Romane Iezabel</HI> at the <HI>window,</HI>
<PB N="25" REF="52"> how&s;oeuer &s;hee be painted. <HI>Babylons</HI> Brats mu&s;t not be dandled, but <HI>da&s;ht again&s;t the &s;tones.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 137.9.</NOTE> <HI>Phynea's</HI> zeale, <HI>Iehu's</HI> march, <HI>Io&s;iah's</HI> re&s;olution, <HI>Luther's</HI> heroicall &s;pirit, haue euer be&s;t preuailed again&s;t the <HI>my&s;terie</HI> of <HI>iniquity.</HI> For who findes not that <HI>Rome</HI> is as a nettle? it &s;tings where it is gently handled; and prouideth <HI>powder,</HI> and <HI>poy&s;oned kniues,</HI> where &s;he is not manacled. The voyce of more then man, and lowder then a Trumpet, is therefore nece&s;&s;ary for you (fathers and brethren) in the&s;e dangerous times, to be inqui&s;itiue for the truth, and to &s;peake home, and re&s;olutely, that <HI>&s;omewhat</HI> be not defectiue, through our de|fault. Hath God enioyned vs to be <HI>watchfull Pa|&s;tors,</HI> and &s;hall we <HI>&s;leepe,</HI> or <HI>flye,</HI> or <HI>take</HI> no <HI>notice,</HI> when the Wolfe commeth? Are wee <HI>&s;eers,</HI> and &s;hall wee winke at any thing? E&s;pecially &s;eeing that a <HI>cloud ri&s;ing from the Sea,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. King. 18.44.</NOTE> <HI>but as bigge as a mans hand,</HI> may &s;oone <HI>ouerca&s;t</HI> the <HI>heauen,</HI> and procure a &s;torme; and a few runnagates com|ming from beyond the Seas, may quickly infect a whole Country of weaklings, neuer fore-&s;tal|led by true grounds, but naturally carried to &s;en|&s;uality, and &s;uper&s;tition. Who if they dare &s;et foot &s;omtimes in &s;uch places as this is, (for where will not the Deuill intrude, and his Impes fol|low?) to the intangling of &s;ome <HI>vncatechiz'd giddy-braines,</HI> with &s;hewes of learning, and coun|terfeit antiquity; let vs haue <HI>&s;omewhat</HI> again&s;t them to nip them in the bud,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 58.</NOTE> that <HI>ere euer their Pots be made hot with thornes, &s;o indignation may vexe them, as a thing that is raw.</HI></P>
<P N="12"><PB N="26" REF="53">12 La&s;t of all, for the re&s;t of you (my bre|thren;) If <HI>&s;omewhat</HI> may not be ami&s;&s;e, but all meanes mu&s;t be v&s;ed, for the redre&s;&s;e thereof: &s;uffer your &s;elues to be led with all alacrity, and meekene&s;&s;e, either by the gentle, or rough hand of tho&s;e that are your Teachers. You mu&s;t not thinke (with <HI>Ahab</HI>) that <HI>we trouble I&s;rael,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. King. 10.17.</NOTE> when we permit you not to &s;ettle on the lea&s;t dregs of your &s;innes; or to cry out with him, when wee &s;peake plaine vnto you,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. King. 21.20.</NOTE> <HI>Ha&s;t thou found me, O mine enemy?</HI> Frantike man! becau&s;e I tell thee the truth, am I become thine enemie? Art thou &s;o po&s;&s;e&s;t, that when thy Sauiour comes to free thee from <HI>legions,</HI> wilt thou exclaime outragiou&s;ly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark. 5.7.</NOTE> <HI>What haue I to doe with thee, thou Ie&s;us, thou Sonne of the mo&s;t high God?</HI> I &s;hould &s;ticke on this point (Beloued) which is a great &s;top to the progre&s;&s;e of the Go|&s;pell. For, when the Preacher brings the <HI>words of the wi&s;e,</HI> you come not prouided with the <HI>eares</HI> of the <HI>attentiue.</HI> Euery learner will be a cen&s;urer, and an offender, a correcter. All are gone out of the way, there is not one that doth good, no not one, and yet (as the Lord complaineth by his Prophet <HI>Ho&s;ea) no man mu&s;t &s;triue,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ho&s;ea. 4.4.</NOTE> <HI>or reproue ano|ther,</HI> for the people are as <HI>they, that &s;triue with the Priest.</HI> And is not this a iu&s;t cau&s;e, why (as here he taxeth <HI>Ephe&s;us</HI>) &s;o our Sauiour in like manner &s;hould <HI>haue &s;omewhat again&s;t vs?</HI> And becau&s;e we may pre&s;ume to expo&s;tulate with the <HI>Iewes</HI> in <HI>Malachi,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cap. 1. Ver. 2.6.</NOTE> <HI>Wherein</HI> and <HI>wherein</HI> doe we &s;o much tran&s;gre&s;&s;e? Let me thru&s;t into this <HI>great Harue&s;t</HI> a little farther <HI>my &s;ickle,</HI> to remember our natu|rall
<PB N="27" REF="53"> dulne&s;&s;e with a <HI>therein</HI> &amp; <HI>therein. Athei&s;me</HI> and <HI>flattery</HI> are eminent in the Court; <HI>therin</HI> our Saui|our <HI>hath &s;omewhat again&s;t vs: Sacriledge</HI> grates the Church, <HI>Symonie</HI> is forced vpon the <HI>mini&s;terie, therein</HI> and <HI>therein</HI> our Sauiour hath <HI>&s;omewhat a|gain&s;t vs.</HI> In the whole Co~monwealth when v&s;ury growes a vocation, drunkennes &amp; whoredome, the practice of good fellow&s;hip, &s;tabbing and &s;wearing, a note of re&s;olution, oppre&s;&s;ion a kinde of Iu&s;tice, &amp; <HI>tythes</HI> the Preachers portion, the <HI>de|maines</HI> of &s;uch men, who commonly are wor&s;t-af|fected to Church or Religion; be not <HI>herein</HI> and <HI>herein</HI> many <HI>&s;omewhats</HI> which our Sauiour may mo&s;t palpably vrge again&s;t vs? <HI>Ieremie's booke,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 36.8. Chap. 2.1.</NOTE> and <HI>Ezechiel's role written within and without,</HI> cannot containe the particulars I might here de&s;cend vnto. <HI>Somewhat</HI> might be had again&s;t <HI>Husbands,</HI> that &s;uffer their <HI>wiues</HI> &amp; <HI>children</HI> to be <HI>Recu&s;ants,</HI> when they them&s;elues can &s;traine to profe&s;&s;e any conformity. <HI>Somewhat</HI> again&s;t <HI>wiues,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Cor. 14.35.</NOTE> who co~man|ded to <HI>hearken at home,</HI> will needes be Teachers abroad, being <HI>Antichri&s;ts</HI> chiefe&s;t factors, to vent his &s;uper&s;titions; who &s;hould be as the <HI>fruitfull vine vpon the hou&s;e;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 128.3.</NOTE> but proue the <HI>twyning Iuie</HI> that plucketh downe the wall. <HI>Somewhat</HI> again&s;t Ma|gi&s;trates, and Officials, who are luke-warme, or <HI>fal&s;e-hearted</HI> in Gods cau&s;e, to the deluding of good lawes, and increa&s;e of &s;uper&s;tition. <HI>Some|what</HI> again&s;t Reformers, who bu&s;ying their tongues mo&s;t commonly in things that pertaine not to them, di&s;able them&s;elues through faction, to doe good in greater matters. Beloued bre|thren,
<PB N="28" REF="54"> <HI>paritie</HI> is not <HI>puritie,</HI> nor the <HI>wi&s;e&s;t preach|ing,</HI> the wrangling about <HI>ceremonies,</HI> nor the <HI>vili|fying</HI> of faulty <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> the profitable&s;t le&s;&s;on the ignorant people can heare: zeale may runne without di&s;cretion, and doe more hurt then good. Then &s;traine at <HI>Gnats,</HI> and tythe <HI>mint</HI> and <HI>cummin,</HI> when thou ha&s;t reformed <HI>the greater breaches of the Law.</HI> And here if I &s;hould goe fur|ther, more might be had again&s;t &s;acrilegious hy|pocrites; who pretend <HI>purging,</HI> and intend &s;pil|ling; who are &s;weeping Gods Hou&s;e, and prying into euery corner, not to re&s;tore the <HI>groat</HI> that is lo&s;t, but to take away the <HI>penny</HI> that is left. <HI>Achan's &s;toning,</HI> and <HI>Bel&s;hazzar's doome,</HI> and <HI>Iudah's hang|ing</HI> might le&s;&s;on the&s;e men &s;ufficiently, from &s;uch dangerous meddling with con&s;ecrated things: whereto the old <HI>Embleme</HI> may &s;erue for illu&s;tra|tion; If thou <HI>&s;natch</HI> from the <HI>Lords Altar,</HI> with the rauenous <HI>Eagle,</HI> but a gobbet of a <HI>&s;acrifice</HI> to <HI>cramme</HI> thy <HI>young ones,</HI> &s;ome coale (perchance) may &s;tick vnto it, which brought to thy ne&s;t, will &s;et all on fire. And to draw to an end in this point; who &s;eeth not what a great deale more might be had, again&s;t parents for indulgence, children for ryot, ma&s;ters for hardne&s;&s;e, &s;eruants for vnfaith|fulne&s;&s;e, young men for idlene&s;&s;e, old men for couetou&s;ne&s;&s;e, Tutors for carele&s;ne&s;&s;e, Schollers for di&s;&s;olutene&s;&s;e, Pa&s;tors for coldne&s;&s;e and non|re&s;idence, people for contempt and prophane|ne&s;&s;e, many for pride and luxury, all for vnthank|fulne&s;&s;e; who in &s;o great plenty haue &s;tored vp &s;o little, in &s;uch continued peace, haue made &s;o
<PB N="29" REF="54"> &s;mall profit, vpon &s;o good aduantages, haue gai|ned no more ground of our aduer&s;aries. Alas (be|loued) with what <HI>nayles</HI> or <HI>goades</HI> &s;hall I fa&s;ten this doctrine to our con&s;ciences? <HI>Plenty, peace,</HI> meanes, will all one day accu&s;e vs, for <HI>looking backe with Lots wife,</HI> when we &s;hould haue ha&s;tned forward; which was the fault of <HI>Ephe&s;us</HI> (as the &s;equell &s;heweth) wherein I will labour to preuent your wearine&s;&s;e.</P>
<P N="13">13 <HI>Becau&s;e thou ha&s;t left thy fir&s;t loue,</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">. The <HI>Rhemists</HI> giue it, <HI>Becau&s;e thou ha&s;t left thy first Charity.</HI> Some <HI>Critikes</HI> put a difference, betwixt <HI>dilection, loue,</HI> and <HI>Charity,</HI> making <HI>loue</HI> more then <HI>dilection,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Polon &s;yntag. lib. <HI>9.</HI> cap. <HI>10.</HI> Illiricus.</NOTE> (as <HI>Cicero</HI> &s;eemes to doe) and <HI>Charity</HI> more then loue. But this cu|rio&s;ity is here needle&s;&s;e, e&s;pecially to &s;et loue and charity by the eares, which &s;o well agree in <GAP DESC="foreign"> the originall. The time permits me not to &s;ift things narrowly. Not to trifle therefore on the word: <HI>Loue,</HI> according to Saint <HI>Augustine</HI> (as <HI>Lumbard</HI> cites him in the 27. di&s;t. of the 3. of the <HI>Sentences) is the mo&s;t right affection of the minde, by which God is loued for him&s;elfe, and our neighbour, for and in God.</HI> I include not here that <HI>incompre|hen&s;ible loue,</HI> which is in God, or rather God him|&s;elfe, <HI>e&s;&s;entially, notionally,</HI> and <HI>per&s;onally,</HI> con&s;ide|red (as the <HI>Schoole-men</HI> haue ventured to &s;pecu|late) but content my &s;elfe with an <HI>habite, infu&s;ed</HI> by God, <HI>effu&s;ed</HI> in good workes,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Vid. Alten&s;taig in verbo chari|tas.</NOTE> <HI>diffu&s;ed</HI> among&s;t our neighbours. Who&s;e <HI>efficient, end,</HI> and <HI>obiect,</HI> is <HI>God</HI> him&s;elfe; <HI>&s;ubiect,</HI> mans <HI>heart; fruits, obedi|ence, patience,</HI> and the <HI>not-&s;eeking</HI> of <HI>our owne; com|panions,
<PB N="30" REF="55"> &s;incerity</HI> and <HI>con&s;tancie; oppo&s;ites, di&s;trust</HI> of our <HI>&s;elues,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Diligens non di|ligenda; aut ae|qu&egrave; diligens quod minus vel amplius diligen|dum e&s;t, aut mi|nus vel amplius quod aequ&egrave; dili|gendum e&s;t; con|tra ordinem charitatis dili|git. Bonau. &amp; Gabriel ibid. ex Augu&s;tino.</NOTE> and a <HI>hard conceite</HI> of our <HI>brethren.</HI> This <HI>loue</HI> is as orderly, as forward; and heedy, as ha&s;ty in her proceedings. For <HI>things not to be be|loued, it loueth not; things of different worth, it loueth not alike; things of equall e&s;teeme, it e&s;teemeth not partially;</HI> (as Saint <HI>Augustine</HI> wittily ob&s;er|ueth) but <HI>aboue vs,</HI> it findeth <HI>God; in vs,</HI> our <HI>owne &s;oules be&s;ides</HI> vs, <HI>our friends and enemies</HI> to &s;pend its &s;trength vpon. Thus our <HI>Angel</HI> here of <HI>Ephe|&s;us</HI> began to doe, and continued to doe, for ought I finde obiected. For it followeth not, thou ha&s;t runne into ill cour&s;es, thou ha&s;t &s;haken off all goodne&s;&s;e, thou beginne&s;t to be hatefull and loth&s;ome: neither read wee ab&s;olutely, (as <HI>Ioa|chim,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Jn textum.</NOTE> <HI>Lyra,</HI> and the be&s;t Interpreters ob&s;erue) Thou ha&s;t lo&s;t thy charity; no (&s;aith <HI>Thomas, Ansbert,</HI> and <HI>Richardus,</HI>) it was not the <HI>habit</HI> that was <HI>extingui&s;hed,</HI> but &s;ome <HI>degrees &s;laked,</HI> the fault was in the <HI>manner of doing,</HI> thou ha&s;t not <HI>lo&s;t thy loue;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Aretius. Bright|man. Viegas &s;ect. <HI>7.</HI> Perer. in Apoc. cap. <HI>2.</HI> disp. <HI>5.</HI></NOTE> but <GAP DESC="foreign"> (too true an allu&s;ion to the name) thou ha&s;t remitted, thou ha&s;t dimini&s;hed, thou ha&s;t cooled, not that thou <HI>now ha&s;t,</HI> but that <HI>which thou had'st,</HI> not thy <HI>loue ab&s;olutely,</HI> but <HI>thy fir&s;t loue.</HI> Whether this happened, through the <HI>in&s;tability</HI> of <HI>free will,</HI> which headlong to ill, is drawne onely to good, whereby as in violent motions, the progre&s;&s;e is &s;lower then the begin|ning; or becau&s;e <HI>Gods grace</HI> is <HI>&s;upernaturall,</HI> and re&s;teth in man as in a <HI>&s;trange &s;ubiect,</HI> vnprepared and oppo&s;ite to it's &s;weet motions; or that the fle&s;h with <HI>Amalech,</HI> &s;ometimes gets ground, to
<PB N="31" REF="55"> force the &s;oule in ieopardy, to lift vp the hands for helpe; or for that our cour&s;e is a race, or day|ly &s;triuing again&s;t the &s;treame, where tripping, or failing in a &s;troke, doth quickly ca&s;t vs backe; or that our &s;pirituall life in &s;ome &s;ort is an&s;wera|ble to our carnall, full of heat and humors in our fir&s;t growth, which afterward in age are cooled and dried vp; I &s;tand now not to di&s;cu&s;&s;e. What this <HI>fir&s;t loue</HI> &s;hould here be, and wherein it con|&s;i&s;teth, &s;ome difference may be found among In|terpreters. <HI>Arias Montanus</HI> fetcheth it farre,<NOTE PLACE="marg">In textum.</NOTE> as though it &s;hould &s;ignifie the loue <HI>receiued in the first creation; Hugo</HI> holds it a <HI>defect</HI> in <HI>preaching; Arethas</HI> a <HI>neglect</HI> of <HI>almes-deedes.</HI> But what neede &s;uch &s;cruples? Why might it not rather be a de|caying in all the vertues before mentioned; as Saint <HI>Ambro&s;e,</HI> and <HI>Richardus,</HI> with our latter Writers, more iudiciou&s;ly take it? The <HI>first loue</HI> therefore that euery Conuert hath,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 6.4.</NOTE> is his <HI>ardent affection at his first inlightning,</HI> and ta&s;ting <HI>of Gods holy Spirit;</HI> whereby the ioy for his freedome from &s;inne and Satan, carrieth all his faculties to adore the Author of it. The markes whereof are, the <HI>renouncing all things,</HI> in compari&s;on of it;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 13.</NOTE> the <HI>induring of</HI> lo&s;&s;es and <HI>afflictions</HI> to retaine it;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 6.</NOTE> the <HI>reuerencing of Gods Word and Ministers,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Colo&s;&s;. 3.1.</NOTE> for increa|&s;ing of it; a &s;truggling again&s;t &s;inne, the fle&s;h, and world, that they may not hinder it;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 19.6. 1. The&s;&s;. 1.9, 10.</NOTE> a <HI>relie|uing</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;ts needie members</HI> for the expre&s;&s;ing of it; a continuance in the powerfull meanes of praying, preaching, harkening, meditating, con|ference with good company, for the continuall
<PB N="32" REF="56"> renewing and pre&s;eruing of it;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 10.</NOTE> not <HI>quenching</HI> the <HI>motions</HI> of the holy <HI>Spirit,</HI> flying all occa&s;ions of <HI>back-&s;lyding,</HI> &s;u&s;pecting e&s;pecially the&s;e foure ene|mies, <HI>&s;pirituall pride</HI> in the <HI>best,</HI> carnall <HI>policie</HI> in the <HI>greatest, worldly pro&s;perity</HI> in the <HI>riche&s;t,</HI> and <HI>abu&s;e</HI> of <HI>Christian liberty</HI> in the <HI>gallantest.</HI> In all which, or in mo&s;t, or at lea&s;t in &s;ome, our <HI>Angell</HI> and Church (as it &s;hould &s;eeme) had beene here defectiue. They halted in their march, abated their edge, began to be weary of well-doing, <HI>and like as the children of Ephraim hauing their Bowes bent,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 78.9.</NOTE> <HI>turned them&s;elues backe in the day of battaile.</HI> Which our Sauiour here taxing, for a &s;inne not to be &s;uffered, it directs vs to this conclu&s;ion; which I propo&s;e in Saint <HI>Bernards</HI> words,
<Q><NOTE PLACE="marg">In Purificat. B. Mariae, Serm. <HI>2.</HI></NOTE>In via vitae, non progredi e&s;t regredi,</Q></P>
<P>In a Chri&s;tian cour&s;e, to bee &s;lacke, or at a &s;tand; is a falling away, or a turning backe a|gaine.</P>
<P N="14">14 The <HI>walke</HI> of a Chri&s;tian &s;hews it, which mu&s;t be from <HI>&s;trength</HI> to <HI>&s;trength,</HI> P&s;alme 84.7. His path as the <HI>morning light,</HI> that <HI>&s;hineth more and more vnto the perfect day,</HI> Prou. 4.18. Hee runnes in the <HI>&s;auour</HI> of his <HI>Sauiours Ointment,</HI> Cant.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Sam. 3.1.</NOTE> 1.4. For as the <HI>hou&s;e</HI> of <HI>Dauid,</HI> in the long warre betweene it and <HI>Saul,</HI> euer grew <HI>stronger</HI> and <HI>stronger;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezech. 47.3, 4, 5. Luk 14.10.</NOTE> the <HI>waters</HI> in <HI>Ezechiel, deeper</HI> and <HI>deeper;</HI> the word to the humble ghe&s;t in the <HI>Go&s;|pell, Sit vp higher:</HI> &s;o in this <HI>warfare</HI> vnder our heauenly Generall,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Tim. 1.18.</NOTE> we mu&s;t <HI>alway fight,</HI> in his <HI>vineyard</HI> alwaies <HI>worke,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 20. 1. Cor. 9.24.</NOTE> in the <HI>race</HI> he hath ap|pointed vs, alwaies <HI>run,</HI> vntill wee obtaine the
<PB N="33" REF="56"> <HI>victory,</HI> the <HI>penny,</HI> the <HI>Crowne,</HI> which is laid vp for vs in the world to come. For the motion of a Chri&s;tian mu&s;t not be like that of the <HI>planets</HI> in their <HI>epicycles;</HI> now <HI>a&s;cending,</HI> then <HI>de&s;cending,</HI> &s;ometimes <HI>&s;tationary,</HI> anon <HI>retrograde;</HI> but rather as the <HI>bea&s;ts</HI> mentioned by <HI>Ezechiel,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Chap.</HI> 1.9. Leuit. 6.12.</NOTE> who <HI>pa&s;sing forward, returned not againe:</HI> his charity is as <HI>fire</HI> vpon the <HI>Lords Altar,</HI> alwaies <HI>kindled,</HI> and neuer <HI>extingui&s;hed;</HI> his grace not as a &s;tanding puddle, that quickly putrifieth, but as the <HI>fountaine</HI> of <HI>liuing water;</HI> Iohn 4. that bubbleth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver. 14.</NOTE> and <HI>&s;pringeth</HI> vp <HI>to euerlasting life.</HI> He reuolts not with <HI>Demas,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Tim. 4.10.</NOTE> di&s;appoints not which <HI>Meroz,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iudg. 5.23.</NOTE> &s;tands not &s;till with the <HI>idlers in the Go&s;pell,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 20.3.</NOTE> <HI>nor followeth afarre off with</HI> timorous <HI>Peter:</HI> but thru&s;ts him&s;elfe forth with <HI>Dauid</HI> in to euery good action, <HI>O God,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 108.</NOTE> <HI>my heart is ready, my heart is ready. I will &s;ing and giue prai&s;e, with the be&s;t member that I haue.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 63.5.</NOTE> <HI>And as long as I liue, will I magnify thee in this manner, and lift vp my hands in thy name.</HI> For what great mat|ter is it (&s;aith S^t <HI>Augu&s;tine) to begin well, and not to hold on?</HI> Like a <HI>meteor,</HI> to giue a blaze,<NOTE PLACE="marg">De bono Per&s;eu. c. <HI>1.</HI></NOTE> and &s;ud|denly to vani&s;h without heat, or light; like a <HI>Locu&s;t</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Gregory) to flyrt vp,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Locu&s;tarum &s;al|tus, Gregor. Mo|ral. l.</HI> 31. <HI>cap.</HI> 12. 1. Sam. 10.7. Act. 8.13. Mar. 6.20. 1. King. 21.27. Luk. 18.10. Act. 24.25.</NOTE> and pre&s;ently to <HI>fall on the earth againe. Saul</HI> at his fir&s;t entrance behaued him&s;elfe well. <HI>Simon Magus beleeued, Herod</HI> harkned, <HI>Ahab fa&s;ted,</HI> the <HI>Phari&s;es</HI> prayed, <HI>Felix</HI> trembled, and<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Socrat. lib. <HI>3.</HI> c. <HI>1.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Iulian the Apostata</HI> in the beginning made a faire &s;hew: But <HI>minim&egrave; cert&egrave; e&s;t bonus, qui melior e&s;&s;e non vult; good he cannot be</HI> (&s;aith<NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg"><HI>Epi&s;t.</HI> 9.1.</NOTE> <HI>Bernard) that will not be better;</HI> and <HI>&s;i dixe|ris &s;ufficit, perij&s;ti;</HI> &s;ay but once thou art good e|nough,
<PB N="34" REF="57" MS="y"> and Saint<NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Lib. de Cantico Nouo.</NOTE> <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> will pronounce thee in a manner vndonne. For faintne&s;&s;e in this ca&s;e, is fayling; loytryng, leauing; &s;tanding, or &s;tag|gering, an ab&s;olute &s;tarting backe. <HI>Ephe&s;us</HI> here but trips, and the &s;purre (you &s;ee) is pre&s;ently in its &s;ide: <HI>Thou ha&s;t left thy fir&s;t loue.</HI>]</P>
<P N="15">15 In making v&s;e of which doctrine, the time will &s;carce permit mee to point at particulars. For how fitly would come here to be taxed, <HI>luke|warmene&s;&s;e</HI> in our <HI>profe&s;sion, dulne&s;&s;e</HI> in our <HI>calling, deadne&s;&s;e</HI> in our <HI>charitie, repining</HI> in our <HI>patience, remi&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> in our <HI>di&s;cipline;</HI> from many of which, <HI>Ephe&s;us</HI> (as you haue heard) was free. What a gulfe (if compari&s;on were made) would too plainely appeare, betweene the fir&s;t on&s;et of our <HI>heroicall reformers,</HI> and the flagging &s;econding of them in the&s;e our daies: as al&s;o to encourage the true hearts, that &s;triue as yet among&s;t vs, to <HI>ex|pre&s;&s;e their fir&s;t loue;</HI> what exhortation could bee earne&s;t enough? what commendation corre&s;pon|dent? what thankes, and prayers to God &s;uffici|ent, for the continuance, and increa&s;ing of his ble&s;&s;ings vpon them? But I mu&s;t not tre&s;pa&s;&s;e &s;o farre on your patience. I will but <HI>lappe</HI> therefore with <HI>Gedeons &s;ouldiers</HI> at the <HI>riuer,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iudge. 7. 1. Sam. 14.</NOTE> or <HI>touch</HI> the <HI>hony,</HI> as <HI>Ionathan,</HI> with the <HI>tip</HI> of my <HI>rod,</HI> and leaue the farther applying to your priuate religious meditations.</P>
<P N="16">16 Where fir&s;t (If I li&s;ted to be contentious) the <HI>Rhemi&s;ts</HI> note on the&s;e words of my text, might giue &s;ufficient occa&s;ion. For <HI>Ephe&s;us</HI> being here accu&s;ed, to <HI>haue left her fir&s;t loue; By this</HI> (&s;ay
<PB N="35" REF="57"> they) <HI>is plainely refuted that, which &s;ome heretikes hold;</HI> that <HI>a man once in grace and charitie, can ne|uer fall from it.</HI> Onely to cleere the place, and pa&s;&s;e by purpo&s;ely what otherwi&s;e might here be &s;ifted; I an&s;were briefly, This note is a notable in&s;tance of the ignorant and peruer&s;e dealing of the&s;e <HI>glo&s;&s;ers,</HI> who either vnder&s;tand not vs, or the text, or their owne men, or el&s;e of purpo&s;e catch at any thing, to delude their &s;imple Pro&s;elytes. For doe not their owne men di&s;tingui&s;h, be|tweene the <HI>habit</HI> of <HI>charitie,</HI> and the <HI>act,</HI> the <HI>cau&s;e,</HI> and the <HI>effect,</HI> the <HI>e&s;sence,</HI> and the degrees, the <HI>action,</HI> and <HI>the maner of performing?</HI> And haue not our men made it plaine enough, that the <HI>grace</HI> we affirme <HI>cannot bee lo&s;t,</HI> is <GAP DESC="foreign">, not <GAP DESC="foreign">, Gods <HI>working fauour,</HI> not mans <HI>incon&s;tant worke,</HI> depending not on <HI>mans free will,</HI> but <HI>Gods free e|lection,</HI> who&s;e <HI>decrees</HI> are <HI>vnalterable,</HI> and <HI>gifts</HI> without <HI>repentance?</HI> But <HI>Satan</HI> may be here <HI>&s;et a|gainst Satan;</HI> the <HI>Ie&s;uites again&s;t the Rhemi&s;ts. Vi|egas</HI> words are, <HI>Non ami&s;it charitatem,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">In textum. ibid.</NOTE> <HI>&s;ed de cha|ritatis feruore nonnihil remi&s;it;</HI> the Angell fell not here from charitie, but was not &s;o hot as before. It was not <HI>priuatio</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Pererius</HI>) but a kinde of <HI>Laodicean lukewarmene&s;&s;e.</HI> They performed not, <HI>duly, dayly, often, earne&s;tly,</HI> to &s;o <HI>many, in &s;o many things,</HI> the good they were wont to doe: which they further confirme to be the expo&s;ition of <HI>Are|thas, Abbas Ioachim, Richardus &agrave; &s;ancto Victore, Ly|ra, Pannonius, Hugo Cardinalis, Carthu&s;ian;</HI> and that deduced manife&s;tly from the very text. For <HI>loue</HI> the <HI>Angell did,</HI> but not as at the fir&s;t; grace
<PB N="36" REF="58"> hee had, but not &s;o working, as at the beginning; worke hee did, but not with that alacritie and zeale hee was accu&s;tomed to doe. <HI>Tzebi</HI> was flouri&s;hing,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 8.9. Deut. 32.15.</NOTE> but faultering; <HI>Ie&s;hurun</HI> was <HI>fat,</HI> but <HI>lazy.</HI></P>
<P N="17">17 A reproofe as nece&s;&s;arie for our times, as our times are farre from the fir&s;t reformation. When the chiefe of the <HI>Fathers and ancient men,</HI> that had <HI>&s;eene the fir&s;t Temple,</HI> beheld how much the &s;econd was inferior to it; how&s;oeuer &s;ome Iu|niors <HI>&s;ang</HI> and <HI>&s;houted,</HI> they <HI>wept aloud</HI> (&s;aith the text) Ezra 3.12. More our good <HI>Fathers</HI> would now lament, if they liued but to &s;ee vs their dege|nerate po&s;terity. Mee thinks we &s;hould &s;tand to|gether in this compari&s;on, as the men of <HI>Chica</HI> in the <HI>Maps,</HI> neere the <HI>&s;traights</HI> of <HI>Magellane,</HI> by our trauellers of <HI>Europe:</HI> they as the &s;onnes of <HI>Anak,</HI> we as <HI>Gra&s;hoppers;</HI> &s;o farre from attaining their forwardne&s;&s;e in Religion, that diuers account it their glory to be &s;narling at them. But &s;uch <HI>com|pari&s;ons</HI> would proue <HI>odious</HI> to be farther pro&s;ecu|ted. To &s;ay no more; If <HI>Luther's</HI> zeale, or <HI>Cal|uine's</HI> Iudicious painefulne&s;&s;e, could be found in &s;ome <HI>mongrell temporizers,</HI> that are &s;o forward to cen&s;ure them; I &s;hould thinke among &s;ome pro|fe&s;&s;ors, our <HI>fir&s;t loue</HI> were in &s;ome mea&s;ure reco|uered. Fathers and brethren, is this a time to make a doubt, <HI>whether the Pope be Antichri&s;t or no,</HI> &s;eeing his <HI>hornes</HI> and <HI>markes</HI> are &s;o apparantly di&s;couered? And mu&s;t we now fall backe to bee <HI>catechized</HI> by <HI>Lumbard,</HI> and <HI>Aquinas;</HI> as though our owne mens doctrine, &s;o euidently grounded
<PB N="37" REF="58"> on <HI>Scripture,</HI> not refu&s;ing the touch of <HI>pure anti|quity,</HI> or any true <HI>&s;choole-learning,</HI> were not <HI>con|clu&s;iue,</HI> and <HI>acute</HI> inough, for our <HI>ab&s;tractiue ca|pacities?</HI> Our fir&s;t loue to Gods Word was a great deale more feruent; when &s;o many burned in de|fiance of <HI>Romi&s;h mixtures.</HI> O that the con&s;iderati|on hereof, would rowze vp euery one of vs in our &s;euerall places, to remember, whence <HI>wee are falne,</HI> and to <HI>doe our fir&s;t workes!</HI> How happy would it bee for <HI>Mini&s;ters,</HI> to &s;hew their <HI>first loue</HI> to the truth! for hearers, to make good <HI>their fir&s;t loue</HI> to their <HI>Mini&s;ters!</HI> for both, to ioine together, in an holy emulation, to <HI>profe&s;&s;e,</HI> and <HI>expre&s;&s;e,</HI> the <HI>first loue</HI> of our zealous predece&s;&s;ors? And if euer the Lord marched before his Church in a <HI>piller</HI> of <HI>clowd</HI> and <HI>fire,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod 13.</NOTE> to guide them in the way they are to walke; now he doth before vs (Beloued) to minde vs of our vngratefulne&s;&s;e, and to &s;et vs in a cour&s;e, to returne <HI>to our fir&s;t loue.</HI> What a ble&s;&s;ing is it to haue a <HI>Royall King,</HI> &s;o <HI>able</HI> and <HI>re&s;olute</HI> to with&s;tand <HI>Popery!</HI> a <HI>Clergy</HI> &s;o emi|nent, a <HI>People</HI> (for the mo&s;t part) &s;o forward, that maugre <HI>Achitophels proiects, Sanballets</HI> &s;tops, &s;ome <HI>Wolues</HI> among the Pa&s;tors, &s;ome <HI>Foxes</HI> among the <HI>Lambs,</HI> the maine notwith&s;tanding goes con|&s;tantly forward for the pur&s;uit and recouery of <HI>this fir&s;t loue.</HI> Di&s;tractions (I confe&s;&s;e) may di&s;|may, &amp; di&s;contents affright the godly, to make vs the more &s;ollicitous to <HI>hold fast that we haue;</HI> but comparing our <HI>helps,</HI> with the <HI>a&s;saults,</HI> and our ca&s;e, with our neighbours that dwell about vs, we &s;hall finde cau&s;e to confe&s;&s;e with <HI>Dauid:
<PB N="38" REF="59"> Truely God</HI> remayneth yet <HI>louing to this our I&s;rael;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 73.1. P&s;al. 147.20.</NOTE> and <HI>hee hath not done &s;o to any nation.</HI> For to re|turne home to our &s;elues of this place, doth not the late bounty of &s;o many famous benefactors, &s;o fre&s;h in our memories, &s;o obuious to our &s;en|&s;es, put all good men in comfort, that this <HI>fir&s;t loue,</HI> in diuers of our daies, is not altogether ex|tingui&s;hed?<NOTE PLACE="marg">By that Knight of immortall me|morie <HI>S^r Tho|mas Bodley.</HI></NOTE> I cannot expre&s;&s;e it &s;ufficiently; <HI>Our Library built, and furni&s;hed,</HI> our <HI>Schooles mounting,</HI> &s;o <HI>many Colleges</HI> inlarged! what arguments can bee more euident, that this <HI>fir&s;t loue</HI> is reuiued in &s;ome, to &s;trre it vp in others, and to maintaine it in vs?<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>19.</HI> Doctors of Diuinity Pro|ceeders.</NOTE> At this pre&s;ent, <HI>the Lord hath giuen the Word, and</HI> behold <HI>the company of Preachers!</HI> who, as that <HI>Angel</HI> that came vp from <HI>Gilgal</HI> to <HI>Bo|chim,</HI> Iudges, 2. will for the mo&s;t part (I make no doubt) be &s;hortly among&s;t you (Beloued) to &s;tirre and &s;et you a <HI>weeping</HI> after your <HI>fir&s;t loue.</HI> And to end with that which followes my text, <HI>Often</HI> to <HI>remember from whence we are falne,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 5.</NOTE> and <HI>repent,</HI> and <HI>doe our fir&s;t workes,</HI> is the path our Sa|uiour here pre&s;cribeth to lead vs to our <HI>fir&s;t loue.</HI> The meditation of his <HI>&s;udden comming,</HI> and the <HI>indangering of our pre&s;ent happine&s;&s;e,</HI> are the mo|tiues to ha&s;ten this <HI>fir&s;t loue.</HI> To hate the <HI>abomi|nations</HI> of <HI>Popery,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 6.</NOTE> (as the <HI>Ephe&s;ians</HI> did here the <HI>deedes</HI> of the <HI>Nicolaitans</HI>) is an euidence of a &s;oule prepared, for the entertaining and relli&s;h|ing this <HI>fir&s;t loue.</HI> Ha&s;t thou a mind to the <HI>Tree of life,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 7.</NOTE> which is in the <HI>mid&s;t</HI> of the <HI>Paradi&s;e of God?</HI> O hearken then to &s;triue, and &s;triue to <HI>ouercome!</HI> for this is the price, that our <HI>Sauiour</HI> here propo&s;eth
<PB N="39" REF="59"> to them that per&s;euere, to retaine their <HI>fir&s;t loue. O Lord, thou art acquainted with our back&s;lidings, and &s;ee&s;t the rubbes that are ca&s;t athwart vs:</HI> Draw <HI>vs therefore, wee be&s;eech thee, that we may follow thee; turne our brawnie hearts, and wee &s;hall bee conuerted; that acknowledging our many imperfections, and the nece&s;sitie of reproouing them, wee may &s;hake off all worldly incumbrances, to recouer and imbrace our fir&s;t loue; through thee the be&s;t-beloued, our only Saui|our and Redeemer: to whom, with the Fa|ther, and the holy Gho&s;t, be all ho|nour and glory, both now and for euermore. Amen.</HI></P>
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</TEXT>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="60">
<PB REF="60">
<P>A CHRISTIANS FREE-WILL OFFERING.</P>
<P>AS IT WAS DELIVERED IN A SERMON ON CHRISTMASSE day, at Chri&s;t-Church in <HI>Oxford.</HI></P>
<P>By IOHN PRIDEAVX, Doctor of Di|uinity, <HI>Regius Profe&s;&s;or,</HI> and Rector of <HI>Exceter Colledge.</HI></P>
<P>Imprinted at London by <HI>Felix Kyngston,</HI> for <HI>Iohn Budge,</HI> and are to be &s;old at his &s;hop in Pauls Church-yard, at the &s;igne of the greene Dragon. 1621.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="sermon">
<PB REF="61">
<PB N="1" REF="61">
<HEAD><HI>A</HI> CHRISTIANS FREEWILL OFFRING. AS IT WAS DELIVE|RED IN A SERMON ON Chri&s;tmas day at Chri&s;t-Church <HI>in Oxford.</HI></HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>PSALME 110.3.</HI></BIBL>
<P>In the day of thy Power &s;hall the people offer thee freewill Offrings with an holy wor&s;hip; the dew of thy birth is of the wombe of the Morning.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_THis P&s;alme is an euident <HI>pro|phecy</HI> of our <HI>Sauiour Chri&s;t,</HI> our Sauior him&s;elf &s;o inter|preting it, Mat. 22. Marke 12. and Luk. 20. Some Iewes would make it to be <HI>Eliezers</HI> gratulation for his ma&s;ter <HI>Abrahams</HI> victory again&s;t the fiue Kings, Gen. 14. Others, <HI>Dauids</HI> thanke&s;giuing for his e&s;caping <HI>Saul,</HI> and &s;ettling in the kingdome. But the wi&s;er <HI>Rabbins</HI> referre it no otherwi&s;e then wee doe, to the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias</HI> alone, (as <HI>Lyra</HI> on this
<PB N="2" REF="62"> P&s;alme noteth:) and that <HI>Caluin</HI> euer went a|bout to wre&s;t, or apply it to <HI>Dauid,</HI> is a malicious &s;lander of <HI>Hunnius</HI> and <HI>Gesner,</HI> as <HI>Pareus</HI> &s;heweth at large, in his &s;econd booke <HI>Caluini orthodoxi,</HI> cap. 41. Now this Prophecy fore-de&s;cribeth, fir&s;t, the <HI>calling</HI> of the <HI>Me&s;sias</HI> to the Office of the Mediator&s;hip, both <HI>Kingly</HI> and <HI>Prie&s;tly,</HI> in the foure fir&s;t ver&s;es: and &s;econdly, the admini|&s;tration of his <HI>Kingly Office</HI> in the three following ver&s;es to the end of the P&s;alme. His calling to this Kingly Office, is &s;olemnized fir&s;t by a <HI>Com|mi&s;sion:</HI> Secondly, by a <HI>promi&s;e.</HI> The <HI>Commi&s;sion</HI> graceth him fir&s;t with <HI>Title,</HI> my <HI>Lord;</HI> &s;econdly, with <HI>Peace, Sit thou on my right hand.</HI> The <HI>Pro|mi&s;e:</HI> a&s;&s;ureth Him fir&s;t of the cru&s;hing and trampling of his enemies <HI>vnder foot</HI> in the re&s;i|due of the fir&s;t ver&s;e. Then, of the generall &s;pread|ing of the Go&s;pell from <HI>whence,</HI> and among <HI>whome;</HI> ver&s;e. 2. La&s;tly, of the condition of the beleeuers, who &s;hould be <HI>willing</HI> in their <HI>offrings, holy</HI> in their <HI>wor&s;hip,</HI> innumerable for their <HI>mul|titude,</HI> ver&s;e. 3. The <HI>Prie&s;tly</HI> Office &s;ucceedeth, confirmed, fir&s;t, by an oath, The <HI>Lord hath &s;worne:</HI> and further illu&s;trated by the type of <HI>Melchizedech,</HI> ver&s;e 4. on which the Author to the <HI>Hebrewes</HI> at large commenteth, chap. 7. To this the admini&s;tration of his Kingly Office is annexed, and further amplifyed, fir&s;t, by the &s;uc|ce&s;&s;efull on&s;et, The Lord &s;hall <HI>wound Kings, iudge the Heathen,</HI> fill <HI>places</HI> with <HI>dead bodies, &s;mite</HI> in &s;under the <HI>heads</HI> of <HI>diuers Countryes;</HI> ver&s;e 5, 6. Then by his triumphant victory in <HI>lifting</HI> vp the
<PB N="3" REF="62"> <HI>Head</HI> to raigne, after he had pa&s;&s;ed the <HI>brooke</HI> of all <HI>tribulations</HI> and <HI>cro&s;&s;es,</HI> with re&s;olute <HI>expedition</HI> according to his <HI>Fathers</HI> appointment, ver&s;e the la&s;t. Thus wee haue the generall view of the whole P&s;alme, which (according to <HI>Ca&s;siodore</HI>) is the ab&s;olute <HI>&s;umme</HI> and compri&s;all of th <HI>Me&s;sias doings</HI> and <HI>&s;ufferings,</HI> manife&s;ted at large in the Old and New Te&s;tament;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Totum hic &s;um|matim dicitur quicquid in v|troque Te&s;tame~|to continetur.</NOTE> &s;o that this third ver&s;e falleth out to be a particular <HI>touch</HI> of the <HI>Belee|uers application;</HI> the former exhibiting the <HI>Kiegs Due,</HI> this the <HI>Subiects Duty:</HI> In which may it plea&s;e you to ob&s;erue the circum&s;tan|ces,
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. of the <HI>time,] In the day of thy Power.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>2. of the <HI>Per&s;ons</HI>] amplified by their,
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. Deuotion,] The people &s;hall offer thee freewill offrings with an holy Wor&s;hip.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. <HI>Hidden increa&s;e</HI> &amp; innumerable mul|titude, <HI>The dew of thy Birth is of the Wombe of the Morning.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>The fir&s;t may be referred to the &s;olemnity of this Time: the &s;econd may minde vs of our du|ties in celebrating this <HI>Times &s;olemnity.</HI> The third may re&s;t as a <HI>comfort</HI> to the afflicted Church: who&s;e lot though it &s;ometimes fall as a <HI>Lilly</HI> among <HI>Thornes,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay. 1.8.</NOTE> or as a <HI>Lodge</HI> in a <HI>Garden</HI> of <HI>Cucumbers,</HI> or as a <HI>be&s;ieged City:</HI> Yet it will prooue at length to bee a goodly heritage, through the <HI>good will</HI> of him that <HI>dwelt</HI> in the <HI>Bu&s;h,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 23.16.</NOTE> who &s;hall water her Furrowes with the
<PB N="4" REF="63"> deaw of heauen, and leade her forth by the ri|uers of comfort.</P>
<P>The points therefore I am to &s;tand vpon, may be reduced to the&s;e three heads,
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. The <HI>Incarnation of Chri&s;t.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>2. The <HI>duty of Chri&s;tians.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>3. The <HI>hidden and fruitfull propa|gation of the Church of Chri&s;t.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>Which may be connected thus for our better memory, and more ready practice. The <HI>Sonne of God</HI> (as vpon this day of his <HI>Power</HI>) manife&s;ted him&s;elfe in our <HI>fle&s;h</HI> for our Redemption: there|fore let vs <HI>offer</HI> vnto him freewill-offrings with an holy <HI>wor&s;hip,</HI> that &s;o among&s;t vs the multitude of the <HI>faithfull</HI> may increa&s;e, as the numberle&s;&s;e <HI>drops</HI> of <HI>deaw</HI> from the mornings wombe. Of which high my&s;teries if my di&s;cour&s;e come &s;hort (as needs it mu&s;t) of your expectation, I tru&s;t, my knowne di&s;tractions in another kinde, and &s;mall time allotted for a bu&s;ine&s;&s;e of this con&s;equence may be in &s;tead of an apologie. That which &s;hall be now defectiue in me, may be made vp hereaf|ter (when God &s;hall giue leaue) by<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">D^r. Godwin the Reuerend Deane of Chri&s;t-Church.</NOTE> him who&s;e <HI>turne</HI> in a ca&s;e of nece&s;&s;ity I now &s;upply. For the pre&s;ent, I &s;hall be forced from my wonted me|thod of <HI>Doctrines</HI> and <HI>V&s;es,</HI> to <HI>propo&s;e</HI> what I haue to &s;ay by way of <HI>explication</HI> and <HI>application,</HI> which experience will teach a man to be the readie&s;t cour&s;e, though both in effect come to one. Fir&s;t then, of the <HI>Incarnation of Christ</HI> manife&s;ted to
<PB N="5" REF="63"> the world, e&s;pecially vpon <HI>this day,</HI> and here fore|told in generall in the&s;e words of my text, <HI>In the day of thy Power.</HI>]</P>
<P N="2">2. The exception that may here be taken to the reading (which is according to the mo&s;t common <HI>tran&s;lation</HI> of our <HI>Church Bookes,</HI>) will prooue vpon &s;canning to be nothing materiall. The originall indeed hath it in this order, as our <HI>la&s;t tran&s;lation &s;ets it: Thy people &s;halbe willing in the day of thy Power.</HI> But no man (I tru&s;t) will be &s;o Criticall, to put any great difference betwixt, <HI>In the day of thy power &s;hall thy people offer</HI> thee free|will offrings; &amp; <HI>The people &s;hall be willing in the day of thy Power. In the day of thy &s;trength,</HI> &s;ayth the <HI>vul|gar:</HI> of thy force and <HI>valour,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">In die virtutis, fortitudinis, ex|ercitus.</NOTE> &s;ay <HI>Tremellius and Iunius:</HI> Of the <HI>a&s;&s;emblies,</HI> &s;ay they of <HI>Geneua:</HI> of the <HI>Armies</HI> (&s;ayth <HI>Munster;</HI>) at &s;uch time as thou &s;halt bring thy bands and ioyne battell, as <HI>Vatablus, Castalio,</HI> and the <HI>Chaldy Paraphra&s;e</HI> haue it. All which the original <GAP DESC="foreign"> may beare without any &s;trayning. Now the better to ga|ther the meaning, wee are to con&s;ider, that<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Vid. Pelbart. Ros Theolog. l. <HI>3</HI> Alten&s;taig. verb. Aduentus, Hospinianum de Origine Fe&s;toru~ Chri&s;tian. pag. <HI>131.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Diuines</HI> doe mention <HI>a fourefold comming</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t:</HI> the fir&s;t in the fle&s;h; And the <HI>Word</HI> was made fle&s;h, Ioh. 1.14. The &s;econd, into the <HI>harts</HI> of the faythfull; <HI>Behold, I &s;tand at the doore and knocke; if any heare my voyce and open the dore, I will come into him and &s;uppe with him,</HI> Reuel. 3.20. The third, at the houre of euery mans <HI>death: Watch ye therefore, for ye know not when the Ma&s;ter of the hou&s;e commeth,</HI> Marke 13.35. The fourth, at the vniuer&s;all and dreadfull day of <HI>Iudgement:</HI> For
<PB N="6" REF="64"> <HI>then &s;hall ye &s;ee the Sonne of man come in a cloud, with power and great glory,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Legenda aurea in principio.</NOTE> Luk. 21.27. In reference to the&s;e foure commings of Chri&s;t, the <HI>Church,</HI> by a laudable cu&s;tom, hath anciently celebrated the foure <HI>Sundayes,</HI> immediatly going before the fea&s;t of the <HI>Natiuity,</HI> by the name of <HI>Aduent Sun|dayes,</HI> that prepared before-hand, with the due meditation of &s;o ine&s;timable a benefit, we might &s;olemnize the <HI>Natiuity,</HI> with the greater triumph. Which here to be meant <HI>certainely</HI> (though not <HI>onely</HI>) by the <HI>day</HI> of <HI>power,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">The Church read it for one of the P&s;almes ap|poynted for Euening prayer for this day.</NOTE> may be ea&s;ily gathered by the former ver&s;e: For when began the root of <HI>Ie&s;&s;e</HI> apparantly to &s;prout, or the <HI>rod</HI> of <HI>power</HI> to be <HI>&s;ent</HI> from <HI>Sion,</HI> among the midde&s;t of the <HI>Gen|tiles, Chri&s;tes</HI> enemies, but at the breaking downe of the partition wall, publi&s;hed fir&s;t in <HI>Ieru&s;alem,</HI> and from thence to all the world, by the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> preaching? All which notwith&s;tanding (&s;aith <HI>Lumbard</HI>) had ground and beginning from the comming of our Sauiour in the fle&s;h.<NOTE PLACE="marg">3. <HI>Sent. d.</HI> 1.</NOTE> Whence we are to conceiue &s;omewhat more to be meant by <HI>the day of Chri&s;ts power,</HI> then by power in it &s;elfe, con&s;idered without this adiunct of <HI>day.</HI> His <HI>power</HI> indeed from the beginning was euer &s;uffi|ciently manife&s;ted by the <HI>Creation</HI> of the world, pre&s;eruing of the <HI>Church,</HI> conuer&s;ing with the <HI>Patriarkes,</HI> entring into league with <HI>Abraham</HI> and <HI>I&s;aac,</HI> wre&s;tling with <HI>Iacob,</HI> leading his peo|ple thorow the Wilderne&s;s, (he being<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">Gen. 14.</NOTE> <HI>Mo&s;eses</HI><NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Deut. 18.</NOTE> great <HI>Prophet,</HI><NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Io&s;h. 5.13. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> <HI>Io&s;ua's Captain</HI> of the Ho&s;t of the <HI>Lord, Iob's</HI><NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg">Iob. 19.</NOTE> <GAP DESC="foreign">,<NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">Chap. 7.</NOTE> E&s;ayes <HI>Immanuel,</HI><NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Chap. 3.</NOTE> <HI>Zacharie's Io&s;hu|a,</HI><NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Dan. 8.13. <GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> <HI>Daniel's Palm&oacute;ni,</HI> as here <HI>Dauids</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign"> to whom
<PB N="7" REF="64"> all the <HI>Types</HI> and <HI>Sacrifices</HI> of the Law had refe|rence; and therefore in <HI>Iury</HI> mu&s;t needs be well knowne, who&s;e name was &s;o great in <HI>I&s;rael:</HI>) Yet to vs, <HI>to vs</HI> (I &s;ay) the <HI>Gentiles</HI> that &s;ate in darke|ne&s;&s;e, and in the &s;hadow of death, the manife&s;ta|tion of this power neuer appeared, before this <HI>fulne&s;&s;e</HI> of time, this <HI>acceptable yeere,</HI> this day of <HI>Chri&s;ts</HI> power &s;pringing from on high had vi&s;i|ted vs, as it is fully,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Plen&egrave; &amp; breui|ter de Incarna|tione.</NOTE> though &s;hortly here &s;et downe (&s;aith <HI>Ca&s;siodore</HI>) in the doctrine of the <HI>Incar|nation.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. In which, for the farther inlarging of our meditations, as this time occa&s;ioneth, wee may ob&s;erue fir&s;t, the <HI>conception,</HI> &s;econdly, the <HI>natiuity</HI> of our <HI>Sauiour;</HI> his conception &s;hewes him to be the <HI>Sonne</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> his <HI>Natiuitie</HI> the Sonne of man; another manner of conceiuing could not haue beene voyd of &s;inne, another kind of birth had called his Manhood in que&s;tion. In this con|ception we &s;hall mo&s;t profitably inquire, Fir&s;t, <HI>who</HI> tooke our nature vpon him: Secondly, <HI>how:</HI> Thirdly, by <HI>what efficient</HI> it was immediatly brought to pa&s;&s;e. <HI>Who?</HI> the <HI>&s;econd</HI> per&s;on in the <HI>Trinitie,</HI> Ioh. 1.14. <HI>The Word was made fle&s;h and dwelt among vs.</HI> That the <HI>Incarnation</HI> was mo&s;t agreeable to the &s;econd per&s;on in the <HI>Trinity,</HI> the<NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">In <HI>3.</HI> Sent. d. <HI>1</HI></NOTE> <HI>Schoolemen</HI> labour to &s;hew: Fir&s;t, out of the <HI>pro|perties</HI> attributed to him in Scripture; (and if I may &s;o tran&s;late their terme <HI>appropriata;</HI>) Second|ly, out of his <HI>approprieties.</HI> The <HI>properties</HI> are foure. Fir&s;t, he is called the <HI>Sonne:</HI> and who &s;o fit as the <HI>Heire</HI> to fetch home the lo&s;t <HI>prodigals,</HI>
<PB N="8" REF="65"> and make them <HI>coheires</HI> with him. Secondly, he is termed the <HI>Word,</HI> as readie&s;t at all a&s;&s;ayes to <HI>de|clare</HI> his <HI>Fathers</HI> will, preach his Law, P&s;. 2. and manife&s;t his name: Ioh. 17. Thirdly, in that he is the <HI>expre&s;&s;e image</HI> of his <HI>Fathers per&s;on,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Hebr.</HI> 1.</NOTE> who could more conueniently re&s;tore the image of God which was declared in vs. La&s;tly, the Mediatour|&s;hip be&s;t &s;orted with the middle per&s;on in the Trinitie, to take our nature, and to become a meane for reconciling vs with <HI>God.</HI> The Approprieties which are al&s;o foure, <HI>Wi&s;edome, Strength, Equality, Pulchritude,</HI> (ob&s;erued by Saint (<HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> and <HI>Hilary</HI> to bee attributed to the Sonne,) doe further cleare the conueniency of his Incarnation. The <HI>Wi&s;edome</HI> of God was fit|te&s;t to re&s;tore the things that were made in <HI>Wi&s;e|dome,</HI> P&s;al. 104. The &s;trength of his arme, to triumph ouer <HI>Hell</HI> and <HI>Death:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Turrecremata, Dom. <HI>1.</HI> Ad|uent. q. <HI>3.</HI></NOTE> True <HI>equality,</HI> to rectifie them who ambitiou&s;ly had lo&s;t them|&s;elues by affecting to bee as <HI>Gods:</HI> and <HI>beauty</HI> to couer their <HI>deformities,</HI> who&s;e gaye&s;t flouri&s;h is but as a <HI>men&s;truous</HI> garment. The Father could not &s;o conueniently haue a&s;&s;umed mans nature, by rea&s;on of his internall attribute of <HI>inna&s;cibility:</HI> and le&s;t there &s;hould haue bene two <HI>Sonnes</HI> in the <HI>Trinitie.</HI> Neither could this haue bene perfor|med by the Holy Gho&s;t, without the communi|cating of the name of the Sonne (&s;aith <HI>Lumbard</HI>) to moe <HI>per&s;ons</HI> then one. Thus the <HI>Schoolemen</HI> had lea&s;ure to contract that which the <HI>Fathers</HI> by &s;ubtill &s;earch in this poynt had <HI>hammered</HI> out a|gain&s;t the old <HI>heretiques,</HI> who now beginning to
<PB N="9" REF="65"> reuiue againe in our new <HI>Arians</HI> and <HI>Samo&s;ate|nians,</HI> it &s;tands vs vpon to bee catechized in the&s;e (otherwi&s;e needle&s;&s;e) <HI>&s;ubtilties,</HI> that &s;ome may al|wayes &s;tand in the gap, and the truth bee not wronged by our &s;light and negligent maintay|ning of it.</P>
<P N="4">4. It appeareth by that which hath beene briefly touched, <HI>who</HI> tooke our nature vpon him. It wilbe harder to expre&s;&s;e that which followeth, the manner, how? for who &s;hall <HI>declare</HI> his <HI>gene|ration?</HI> E&s;ay 53.<NOTE PLACE="marg">In vigili&acirc; Nata|lis Domini.</NOTE> In the <HI>a&s;&s;umption</HI> of our fle&s;h (&s;ayth <HI>Bernard) three mixtures,</HI> the omnipotent Maie&s;tie of God made &s;o <HI>admirably</HI> &s;ingular, and &s;ingularly admirable, that the like were neuer done, or euer &s;hall be vpon the earth. For there were married as it were, &amp; linked together <HI>Deus</HI> &amp; <HI>homo, Virgo</HI> &amp; <HI>Mater, Fides</HI> &amp; <HI>cor humanum,</HI> God and Man; a Mayde and a Mother; Faith and mans heart: euery word in this poynt inuol|uing a my&s;tery, and <HI>noueltie,</HI> or <HI>mi&s;placing</HI> of a <HI>phra&s;e</HI> in the ielou&s;ie of carefull <HI>antiquitie,</HI> hath beene cen&s;ured for an <HI>here&s;ie.</HI> For they euer wa|rily affirmed the <HI>humane</HI> nature to be <HI>a&s;&s;umed,</HI> but the <HI>Diuine</HI> to bee <HI>vnited.</HI> They con&s;tantly main|tained the di&s;tinction and integrity of both na|tures again&s;t <HI>Eutyches confu&s;ion; vnited</HI> notwith|&s;tanding in one and the &s;ame per&s;on, again&s;t <HI>Nestorius di&s;traction.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Alex. ab Hales, &s;um. Theol. part. <HI>3.</HI> q. <HI>7.</HI> m. <HI>1.</HI> art. <HI>1</HI></NOTE> This per&s;on the <HI>Schoolemen</HI> more nicely pronounce to be one, not by that in|comprehen&s;ible <HI>vnitie</HI> which excludeth all <HI>multi|tude</HI> or <HI>multiplicitie:</HI> for that belongeth onely to the <HI>per&s;ons</HI> in the <HI>Deity:</HI> but by an vnion which
<PB N="10" REF="66"> requires a <HI>compo&s;ition,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">In <HI>3.</HI> Sent. d. <HI>6.</HI> q. <HI>3.</HI></NOTE> not <HI>huius ex his,</HI> (as <HI>Durand</HI> &s;peaketh) but <HI>huius ad hoc;</HI> not a framing of a third thing out of diuers parts vnited; for &s;o the <HI>Godhead</HI> and the <HI>manhood</HI> mu&s;t not be &s;ayd to <HI>con|cur</HI> as parts for the making vp of this <HI>per&s;on,</HI> but &s;uch an adioyning of the things <HI>vnited</HI> the one vnto the other, that the natures remayning <HI>di|&s;tinct</HI> (as<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg"><HI>Lib.</HI> 3. <HI>cap.</HI> 10.</NOTE> <HI>Agatho</HI> rightly teacheth) and all their <HI>properties</HI> and <HI>operations,</HI> the <HI>&s;ub&s;i&s;tence</HI> notwith|&s;tanding is but one, and in this ca&s;e (according to <HI>Athana&s;ius</HI>) one, not by the <HI>conuer&s;ion</HI> of the <HI>God|head</HI> into <HI>fle&s;h,</HI> but by taking the <HI>manhood</HI> into <HI>God.</HI> The <HI>Fathers</HI> haue much laboured to ex|pre&s;&s;e this popularly.<NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">Lib. de recta fidei Confe&s;&s;.</NOTE> <HI>Iu&s;tine Martyr</HI> and<NOTE N="c" PLACE="marg">Jn Symbol.</NOTE> <HI>A|thana&s;ius</HI> bring the &s;imilitude of the Soule and body. Saint<NOTE N="d" PLACE="marg"><HI>Ep.</HI> 99.</NOTE> <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> and<NOTE N="e" PLACE="marg">In <HI>3.</HI> &s;ent. d. <HI>1.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Scotus</HI> of two <HI>acci|dentall formes</HI> in one <HI>&s;ubiect,</HI> as of the &s;ame man, who is both a <HI>Lawyer</HI> and <HI>Phi&s;ician.</HI><NOTE N="f" PLACE="marg">Peri Archon. lib. <HI>2.</HI> Cap. <HI>6.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Origen,</HI><NOTE N="g" PLACE="marg">Orat. in Na|tiuit.</NOTE> <HI>Ba&s;ill,</HI> and<NOTE N="h" PLACE="marg">Ortho. fid. lib. <HI>3.</HI> Cap. <HI>11.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Dama&s;cene</HI> of a piece of <HI>glowing Iron,</HI> to which the fire is incorporated: and this is be&s;t approued by <HI>Brentius</HI> and <HI>Kemnitius.</HI><NOTE N="i" PLACE="marg">Ibid. lib. <HI>3.</HI> ca. <HI>5</HI></NOTE> <HI>Dama&s;cene</HI> againe and<NOTE N="k" PLACE="marg">In vigil. Natal. &s;erm. <HI>3.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Bernard</HI> compare the my&s;terie of the <HI>Incarnation</HI> with that of the <HI>Trinity;</HI> that as there wee beleeue three <HI>per&s;ons</HI> in one nature: &s;o here wee &s;hould acknowledge three natures, of <HI>fle&s;h, Soule,</HI> and <HI>Deitie</HI> (as Saint<NOTE N="l" PLACE="marg">De Trinitat. lib. <HI>13.</HI> cap. <HI>17.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> &s;pea|keth) in one per&s;on. But the mo&s;t expre&s;&s;iue is that of a <HI>tree</HI> and a Siens ingraffed to it, which becommeth one with the &s;tocke, yet retayneth it's owne nature and fruite. Thus<NOTE N="m" PLACE="marg">In <HI>3.</HI> &s;ent. di&s;t. <HI>1.</HI> Lib. <HI>3.</HI> de Incar|nat. Cap. <HI>8.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Aquinas, Bo|nauenture,</HI> and with them mo&s;t of our orthodoxe writers: all which notwith&s;tanding (as <HI>Bellarmine</HI>
<PB N="11" REF="66"> in this poynt truely &s;heweth) come &s;hort of the thing. Wherein our <HI>Lutherans</HI> are furthe&s;t out, by grounding the <HI>hypo&s;taticall Vnion</HI> on the <HI>tran&s;fu&s;ion</HI> of the <HI>proprieties</HI> from one <HI>nature</HI> into <HI>another,</HI> and not (as they ought to doe) on the communication of the <HI>&s;ub&s;i&s;tence</HI> from the <HI>Deity</HI> to the <HI>Manhood.</HI> This onely is &s;ufficient to make good the&s;e harder &s;peaches in appearance. <HI>God hath purcha&s;ed the Church with his owne blood,</HI> Acts 20.21. And where the Sonne of man being vpon earth, is affirmed to be <HI>in Heauen,</HI> Ioh. 3.13. for &s;ubiects of a loo&s;er compo&s;ition afford in a manner the like <HI>Synechdochicall predications</HI> in the <HI>concrete</HI> (to &s;peake with <HI>Logicians</HI>) not the <HI>ab&s;tract.</HI> So a <HI>Philo&s;opher</HI> dyeth (&s;aith Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI>) but not <HI>Philo&s;ophy;</HI> in his 89. Epi&s;tle. The <HI>Man</HI> Chri&s;t is euery where, but not the <HI>manhood;</HI> and with the&s;e generalities wee re&s;t informed of the <HI>manner</HI> of this conception. The efficient &s;uccee|deth, which is the Holy <HI>Gho&s;t;</HI> Matthew 1.20. Much remaineth to be &s;poken, and the time wea|reth: I can but touch therefore at matters, and &s;o away.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Vid. Turrecrem. in vigil. Nat. Dom. q. <HI>4.</HI></NOTE> The action of the Incarnation being <HI>opus ad extra,</HI> or external, belongeth (as you know by a receiued rule in <HI>Diuinitie</HI>) to all the three per&s;ons in the <HI>Trinitie,</HI> though it be <HI>terminatiuely</HI> in the Sonne (as the <HI>Schooles</HI> &s;peake) and <HI>appropri|ated</HI> here to Holy <HI>Gho&s;t:</HI> To the Holy <HI>Gho&s;t</HI> (&s;ayth Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI>) by rea&s;on he is the conuei|er and di&s;tributer of all the boundle&s;&s;e graces and mercies, that flow to vs from the <HI>Deitie,</HI> among which, a greater, then this of the <HI>Incarnation</HI> can|not
<PB N="12" REF="67"> be conceiued. Some haue laboured to open this more plainely by this obuious compari&s;on: Three <HI>&s;i&s;ters</HI> (&s;ay they) concurre to the weauing of one <HI>&s;eamele&s;&s;e Coate,</HI> which the <HI>Second</HI> onely weareth, and the third immediately <HI>&s;etteth</HI> on: So mans nature was a&s;&s;umed onely by the <HI>Sonne,</HI> vnited by the Holy <HI>Gho&s;t,</HI> though wrought by all three. But in &s;uch <HI>profundities</HI> it is dangerous ventring further then the text inlightens vs. This we haue expre&s;&s;ed by an <HI>Angell</HI> concerning the &s;e|cret of this conception:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 1.35.</NOTE> <HI>The Holy Gho&s;t &s;hall come vpon thee</HI>] as for a worke that goeth beyond all &s;ub&s;titution of any created Excellency: <HI>And the power of the mo&s;t High &s;hall ouer&s;hadow thee</HI>] either as a &s;helter to free the &s;acred <HI>Embrio,</HI> from origi|nall infection, to which <HI>Adam's</HI> fle&s;h was liable, and <HI>actuate</HI> it in the wombe by an vnconceiueable operation; or as a cloud to <HI>ouer&s;hadow</HI> it from our <HI>ambitious prying</HI> (as <HI>Caluin</HI> and <HI>Stella</HI> take it) who neglecting and loathing that wee are bound to learne,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Sam. 6.</NOTE> will endanger our &s;elues with the <HI>Beth&s;he|mites</HI> to looke too farre into the Arke.</P>
<P N="5">5. Thus farre of the Conception of our Saui|our, being the dawning (as it were) of the <HI>day</HI> of his <HI>power,</HI> which hath brought vs to the <HI>Natiuitie,</HI> wherein this <HI>Sunne</HI> of <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> appeares a|boue the <HI>Horizon.</HI> Here the natiuitie mu&s;t be &s;aid to be (with <HI>Dama&s;cene</HI> and <HI>Aquinas</HI>) of the <HI>per&s;on,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Lib.</HI> 3. <HI>part.</HI> 3. <HI>q.</HI> 35. <HI>art.</HI> 1.</NOTE> and not of the humane <HI>nature,</HI> as &s;ome will &s;peake vnadui&s;edly. For the humane nature is onely the <HI>terme</HI> of this action,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Actiones &s;unt &s;uppo&s;itorum, non naturarum.</NOTE> the Per&s;on the <HI>&s;ubiect:</HI> who was borne of a <HI>Virgin,</HI> that yet euer remained
<PB N="13" REF="67"> a <HI>Virgin,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Maria virgo an te partum in partu, po&s;t par|tum erat porta clau&s;a. Augu. ex Ezech. <HI>44.</HI> vid. Turrecrem. in vigil. nat. Dom. q. <HI>3.</HI></NOTE> (how&s;oeuer <HI>Heluidius</HI> dream't the con|trary;) and that by opening the wombe, not <HI>v|tero clau&s;o,</HI> as the <HI>Papi&s;ts</HI> imagine, to make way for their <HI>poeticall tran&s;ub&s;tantiation:</HI> (for not the bea|ring of a childe, but the <HI>knowing</HI> before of a <HI>man</HI> is oppo&s;ite onely to virginitie) as true philo&s;ophy and &s;ence might teach them. Now in this ble&s;&s;ed Natiuitie of this Virgins Sonne, we are briefly to take notice of the&s;e foure <HI>circum&s;tances;</HI> the <HI>time,</HI> the <HI>place,</HI> the <HI>manner,</HI> the <HI>manife&s;tation.</HI> For the time we need not trouble our &s;elues with the dif|ferences of <HI>Chronologers, Hebrew</HI> and <HI>Greeke,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">&V;id. Sleidan. de <HI>4.</HI> Imper. lib. <HI>1.</HI>&mdash;Gene|brard. lib. <HI>1.</HI> Chronolog.</NOTE> <HI>Greeke</HI> and <HI>Latine, old</HI> and <HI>new,</HI> wherein, two &s;carce meet in one reckoning, either for the <HI>yeere</HI> or <HI>moneth,</HI> much le&s;&s;e for the <HI>day,</HI> as diuers haue laboriou&s;ly &s;hewed: but re&s;t our &s;elues on the generall cer|tainties which the Scripture affords vs. When the <HI>Scepter</HI> therefore was departed from <HI>Iudah</HI> (according to <HI>Iacobs</HI> prophecie, Gen. 49.) when the <HI>fir&s;t Temple</HI> was de&s;troyed and the <HI>&s;econd</HI> was yet &s;tanding, foretold by <HI>Zacharie</HI> and <HI>Aggie,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Hag.</HI> 2.7.</NOTE> vn|der the <HI>la&s;t Monarch</HI> in the la&s;t of <HI>Daniel's weekes,</HI> which &s;ome would haue to end preci&s;ely at <HI>Chri&s;ts pa&s;sion;</HI> others, as the ouerthrow of Ieru&s;a|lem by <HI>Titus</HI> and <HI>Ve&s;pa&s;ian: Origen, Driedo,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Vid. Willet in Daniel pag. <HI>295. Iohn 1.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Ian&s;e|nius,</HI> and <HI>Melancthon,</HI> at his <HI>Natiuitie,</HI> when the Romans out of their <HI>Sybills, Herod</HI> from the <HI>Iewes,</HI> the <HI>Iewes</HI> out of their <HI>Prophets,</HI> the <HI>Ea&s;terlings</HI> from <HI>Balaam's</HI> &s;tarre, were &s;o po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed with expectati|on of &s;uch a King to be borne, that it was not the que&s;tion of the <HI>Iewes</HI> alone, but the inqui&s;ition al|mo&s;t of all the world, <HI>Who art thou? Art thou E|lias?</HI>
<PB N="14" REF="68"> Art thou <HI>that Prophet?</HI> Art <HI>thou he that &s;hould come, or doe wee looke for another?</HI> Then in this fulne&s;&s;e of time appeared the morning of the <HI>day</HI> of His <HI>power,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 4.4.</NOTE> wherein the <HI>&s;eede</HI> of the <HI>Woman</HI> aduanced forward to breake the <HI>&s;erpents head.</HI> The place which He honoured with His birth, was not ruling <HI>Rome,</HI> or glorious <HI>Ieru&s;alem,</HI> but little <HI>Bethlem,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mich. 5.2.</NOTE> little in compari&s;on of many <HI>thou|&s;ands</HI> of <HI>Iudah.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Hieronym. in</HI> 2. Matth.</NOTE> There was another <HI>Bethlem</HI> in <HI>Ga|lilee,</HI> neere <HI>Nazareth,</HI> where <HI>Io&s;eph</HI> and the Ble&s;&s;ed Virgin great with childe then dwelt, but all the world mu&s;t be taxed by <HI>Augu&s;tus</HI> that ruled all,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 2.</NOTE> to occa&s;ion a remouall of this holy couple, that &s;o <HI>prophecies</HI> might be accompli&s;hed by Gods &s;ecret hand, that guideth the proiects of the greate&s;t, and <HI>State&s;men</HI> vnwittingly bring to pa&s;&s;e what he had before determined. That which <HI>politique Au|gu&s;tus</HI> and <HI>cruell Herod</HI> neuer dreamt of, and the proud <HI>Scribes</HI> and <HI>Phari&s;es</HI> would haue held madne&s;&s;e to haue noted poore <HI>Io&s;eph</HI> and <HI>Mary</HI> for, King <HI>Dauid</HI> fore&s;aw in the Spirit, and truely gaue notice of it: P&s;al. 132. <HI>Loe, we haue heard of it at Ephrata,</HI> and <HI>found it in the fields of the wood.</HI> And where could this bread of life be more con|ueniently borne (&s;ayth <HI>Gregory</HI>) then at <HI>Bethlem,</HI> which is by interpretation the <HI>hou&s;e of bread?</HI> in little <HI>towne</HI> and <HI>houell,</HI> to &s;hew the vanity of <HI>pom|pous</HI> and <HI>luxurious buildings:</HI> as a <HI>pilgrim</HI> in an <HI>Inne</HI> and <HI>&s;table,</HI> to minde vs of our condition in this life, from whence he came to reduce vs to the many <HI>man&s;ions</HI> of his <HI>Father.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 22.6. E&s;ay. 53.2.</NOTE> Thirdly, the <HI>maner</HI> of his birth was &s;o meane; that the <HI>Scripture</HI>
<PB N="15" REF="68"> might be fulfilled, that from the bottome of hu|mility, he might the more gloriou&s;ly <HI>a&s;cend</HI> to the toppe of power: that the great ones of this world may be hence le&s;&s;oned <HI>not to &s;well</HI> in &s;uch outward vanities, and di&s;daine their poore bre|thren. That the difference might be the more con&s;picuous and apparent betwixt his <HI>Fir&s;t</HI> and his <HI>Second</HI> comming, &amp; to teach vs to expect our <HI>portions</HI> and <HI>diuidends,</HI> not here, where he had no|thing, but hereafter, where in all abundance he hath prouided for vs. La&s;t of all, the <HI>manife&s;tation of this gloriou&s;ly meane</HI> Natiuity, was &s;o di&s;po&s;ed of by the Fathers prouidence, that though the mo&s;t neglected it, <HI>all</HI> notwith&s;tanding had that notice, which might leaue the~ vnexcu&s;able. The <HI>Shepheards in the fields,</HI> and the wi&s;e-men of the Ea&s;t, <HI>Iewes and Gentiles, Herod</HI> and all <HI>Ieru&s;alem</HI> were troubled at it, <HI>King</HI> and <HI>Subiects; Bethlem</HI> and all tho&s;e coa&s;ts were filled by the relation of the <HI>Sepheards, Towne and Countrey.</HI> In the Temple aged <HI>Simeon</HI> and <HI>Anna</HI> &s;pake to all that looked for redemption in <HI>Ieru&s;alem, men</HI> and <HI>women.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 2.</NOTE> And it is worth the noting, to con&s;ider how it plea&s;ed God to vary the manner of this manife&s;|tation, and to fit it according to mens diuers conditions and capacities. The <HI>Ea&s;terne A&s;tro|nomers</HI> &s;hall haue directions from a <HI>Starre, Herod</HI> a <HI>&s;tranger</HI> from <HI>&s;trangers,</HI> the <HI>Priests</HI> and <HI>Scribes</HI> from the <HI>Prophets</HI> wherein they were be&s;t <HI>&s;tudied,</HI> holy <HI>Simeon</HI> and <HI>Anna</HI> in the midde&s;t of their <HI>deuotions,</HI> had a <HI>Reuelation</HI> from the holy <HI>Gho&s;t,</HI> which be&s;t fittted them. But the ruder <HI>Shepheards</HI>
<PB N="16" REF="69"> had the plaine&s;t me&s;&s;age both by <HI>word</HI> and to|kens, as being vnfitte&s;t to <HI>beleeue,</HI> or to bee <HI>be|leeued</HI> without vncontroleable euidence.</P>
<P N="6">6. I neede to hold you no longer in the point of the <HI>Incarnation,</HI> &s;o wonderfully <HI>foretold,</HI> &s;o pre|ci&s;ely <HI>effected,</HI> &s;o plainely <HI>manifested</HI> in this day of the <HI>Lords Power,</HI> which here our Prophet &s;peak|eth of: the application now &s;hould follow of all the circum&s;tances, if I thought your godly me|ditations in this behalfe had not preuented mee. And yet (I know not how) <HI>Knowledge</HI> and <HI>De|uotion</HI> are &s;ometimes &s;o farre &s;undred and e&s;tran|ged, that the further we wade in the one (with|out the e&s;peciall operation of Gods Spirit) the le&s;&s;e wee re&s;pect the other. A man would haue thought the Iewes had had fayre warnings i|nough of this <HI>day of this power,</HI> to haue daunted them at lea&s;t from &s;uch violent <HI>oppo&s;itions,</HI> and <HI>per&s;ecutions;</HI> and we are hot vpon the <HI>Scribes</HI> and <HI>Phari&s;es,</HI> as they were vpon their Ance&s;tours, Math. 23. If wee had beene in their dayes, and ca&s;e, we would haue ha&s;tened with the <HI>Sepheards,</HI> followed the <HI>Starre</HI> with the <HI>Wi&s;e-men,</HI> beene at <HI>Bethlem, &s;pent our deare&s;t bloud,</HI> to conuey the <HI>Childe</HI> with his <HI>Mother</HI> from <HI>Herods</HI> tyrannie; told the <HI>Scribes</HI> and <HI>Prie&s;ts</HI> to their teeth, that they were <HI>Serpents</HI> and <HI>Vipers.</HI> Thus we crac|kle what wee would haue done, in a wandring kinde of &s;peculation; but from performing at home what we &s;hould doe, the very &s;ame <HI>tempta|tion</HI> now hindereth vs, which then inueigled, and ouerthrew the <HI>Scribes</HI> and <HI>Phari&s;es.</HI> S^t. <HI>Augu|&s;tine,</HI>
<PB N="17" REF="69"> in his tenth booke <HI>de Ciuitate Dei,</HI> and 29. chapter, indeuouring to expre&s;&s;e the cau&s;e why <HI>Porphyrie</HI> and the re&s;t of the <HI>Platoniques,</HI> &s;hould be &s;o auer&s;e from <HI>Chri&s;tianity,</HI> &s;eeing they belee|ued in their owne <HI>Philo&s;ophy,</HI> things of as great <HI>impo&s;&s;ibilitie,</HI> falleth at length vpon this i&s;&s;ue; <HI>Huic veritati vt po&s;sitis acquie&s;cere, humilitate opus erat, quae ceruici vestrae difficillim&egrave; per&s;uaderi pote&s;t.</HI> For the receiuing of the <HI>Chri&s;tian Truth, humility mu&s;t be a preparatiue;</HI> but <HI>that</HI> you hold a yoake too vnea&s;y for your neckes. Vpon which hee pre&s;&s;eth them further: You can beleeue (&s;ayth he) <HI>Porphyrie</HI> in his booke <HI>de regre&s;&s;u animae;</HI> and <HI>Plato</HI> &s;hall haue credit in his a&s;&s;ertions, that the <HI>World, and Sunne, and Moone, are liuing creatures,</HI> and haue <HI>&s;oules:</HI> but when Chri&s;tians tell you of a <HI>Re&s;urrection,</HI> you &s;traight forget your <HI>&s;elues,</HI> and your owne <HI>Tenents.</HI> But what is the cau&s;e of this diuer&s;itie? No other &s;urely &s;o apparent as this; <HI>Christus humilitate venit, &amp; vos &s;uperbi e&s;tis: Chri&s;t came humbly into the World,</HI> and you are <HI>proud.</HI> This was al&s;o the very <HI>&s;tumbling blocke</HI> of the <HI>Iewes:</HI> They were &s;o fa&s;tned to the earth, and to the conceit of an <HI>externall Monarchy</HI> here below, that it could neuer be beaten into their braynes but their <HI>Me&s;&s;ias</HI> &s;hould be an <HI>earthly Conquerour,</HI> who &s;hould aduance his followers to be <HI>Magni|fico's,</HI> and <HI>Rulers</HI> ouer all the earth. This conceite &s;eemed al&s;o to haue po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed <HI>Zebedees children,</HI> and therefore their <HI>mother</HI> mu&s;t put in for a <HI>pro|mi&s;e</HI> of places like to be about our <HI>Sauiour</HI> in his <HI>expected</HI> temporall Kingdome; and the <HI>Di&s;ciples</HI>
<PB N="18" REF="70"> after the Re&s;urrection, were ca&s;ting about &s;ome &s;uch matter:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 1.6.</NOTE> <HI>Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to I&s;rael?</HI> So naturall a thing it is for fle&s;h and bloud to plot for &s;omewhat, e&s;pecially how to become <HI>great</HI> here, how&s;oeuer it lo&s;e by the bargain hereafter. Thus we can ob&s;erue, (B.) and reprooue in others, but yet goe on to practi&s;e it our &s;elues, as though our <HI>e&s;tate</HI> and <HI>ca&s;e</HI> were of a different nature; otherwi&s;e why cannot a <HI>little</HI> content vs, who &s;hew our &s;elues in the managing of that <HI>we haue,</HI> to be worthy of <HI>nothing?</HI> or why &s;hould a meane e&s;tate be the &s;ubiect of &s;corne, &s;ithens our <HI>Sauiours</HI> choyce hath thus graced it in the <HI>day of his power, but that (as</HI> Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> hath it) <HI>He was humble, but we are proud?</HI> Should it not make vs tremble, to cloath our &s;elues with the <HI>Fleece,</HI> and not feed the <HI>Flocke?</HI> make it dainty to trouble our &s;elues with winning &s;oules, which Chri&s;t hath purcha&s;ed with his deare&s;t bloud? plot more for a <HI>poore preferment</HI> here, then for a <HI>Kingdome</HI> hereafter? take the purple robe vpon vs, but turne off the Cro&s;&s;e, to be vndergone by any <HI>Simon</HI> of <HI>Cyrene,</HI> whom we happen vpon <HI>in the way, but that</HI> (as S. <HI>Austin</HI> hath hit the right veine) our pride looks <HI>a&s;cue vpon our Ma&s;ters humility?</HI> It this <HI>&s;tateline&s;&s;e</HI> that makes vs vnlike our <HI>Sauiour,</HI> and all his true Di&s;ciples, that haue followed him, and gone before vs. For to &s;peake nothing of the <HI>Fathers,</HI> and tho&s;e men (as it were) of ano|ther world, what is the rea&s;on we come &s;o farre &s;hort in <HI>learning, gifts,</HI> and <HI>zeale</HI> of our <HI>Reformers,</HI> and <HI>Ma&s;ters,</HI> who haue gone (as it were) but ye|&s;terday
<PB N="19" REF="70"> before? why is there &s;uch a <HI>&s;en&s;ible decay</HI> of Doctrine, and Di&s;cipline, among the be&s;t, but for that we <HI>vye,</HI> who &s;hould be <HI>greate&s;t,</HI> and not who &s;hould be <HI>holiest,</HI> ayme more at the <HI>esteeme</HI> of <HI>men,</HI> none the <HI>prai&s;e of God,</HI> and &s;till forget this le&s;&s;on of our <HI>Sauiours humility.</HI> Hee was humble in the <HI>day of his power;</HI> we account our &s;elues <HI>di&s;graced,</HI> if wee be told fully of our faults. The remedy for all this is the <HI>direction</HI> which followeth, Thy people &s;hall offer thee <HI>free|will offrings with an holy wor&s;hip;</HI> which is the du|ty of the faithful, and <HI>&s;econd member</HI> of my text, that followeth novv in order briefely to bee con|&s;idered.</P>
<P N="7">7 Thy people] <HI>Thy,</HI> implyeth a <HI>propriety, People,</HI> a <HI>Congregation,</HI> at lea&s;t a <HI>multitude:</HI> except the people be <HI>Gods,</HI> in vaine a <HI>holy wor&s;hip</HI> is expect|ed, and <HI>&s;ingularity</HI> in this thing is not &s;o <HI>accepta|ble,</HI> or <HI>fit,</HI> as the <HI>vnited deuotions of a Congregati|on,</HI> or people. This people <HI>&s;hall offer</HI>] Here is their <HI>externall forwardne&s;&s;e,</HI> exemplarie, to draw on o|thers. They &s;hall offer <HI>to The</HI>] Not to <HI>others, Saints, Angels,</HI> much le&s;&s;e their <HI>&s;hrines.</HI> Our Prophet &s;eemes not to be acquainted with any &s;uch doctrine. They &s;hall offer thee <HI>free-will offrings</HI>] This is the <HI>inward ground</HI> which He e&s;pe|cially here re&s;pecteth, that giueth to will and to doe, and onely <HI>&s;earcheth</HI> the <HI>hearts</HI> and <HI>reines. With a holy wor&s;hip,</HI>] compo&s;ed of <HI>inward &s;ynceri|tie</HI> and <HI>outward decency,</HI> according to the <HI>fir&s;t</HI> and <HI>&s;econd</HI> Commandement. Thus I paraphra&s;e the words as they lie in my tran&s;lation. Tho&s;e
<PB N="20" REF="71"> that read it <HI>otherwi&s;e,</HI> may frame &s;ome other <HI>de|ductions,</HI> but in &s;ub&s;tance not much different. The vulgar <HI>Latine</HI> is here wholly wide from the <HI>originall,</HI> in rendring it <HI>Tecum principium,</HI> which the <HI>Schoole-boyes</HI> of <HI>Doway</HI> (for their chil|di&s;h tran&s;lation out of the <HI>Latine,</HI> credits them no further) con&s;true, <HI>With thee, the beginning.</HI> The errour (as it &s;hould &s;eeme) of the <HI>Greeke</HI> gaue &s;ome way to this, <GAP DESC="foreign">, which diuers of the <HI>Ancients</HI> afterward tooke for a ground to proue the <HI>Eternitie</HI> of the <HI>Sonne</HI> of <HI>God:</HI> but by a meere mi&s;take, both in the <HI>pointing</HI> of the <HI>Hebrew,</HI> and then reading <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>with thee</HI>] for <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>thy people</HI>] and next, <GAP DESC="foreign">, which may &s;ignifie, <HI>principality,</HI> not beginning (as the <HI>vulgar</HI>) for <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>deuotionum, &s;ayth Pagnine,</HI> and <HI>Montanus: &s;pontanearum vo|luntatum,</HI> according to <HI>Leo Iuda, Mun&s;ter &amp; Vata|blus. Ingenuitatum,</HI> addeth <HI>Iunius,</HI> and the re&s;t di&s;&s;ent not, which is &s;ufficiently expre&s;&s;ed in both our <HI>Engli&s;h tran&s;lations: Thy people &s;hall be wil|ling,</HI> or <HI>offer thee free-will offrings.</HI> It may be (as <HI>Moller</HI> on my text coniectures) that the vulgar mi&s;tooke &het; for &het; letters much alike, and &s;o came in the <HI>difference.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">In hunc locum.</NOTE> <HI>Bellarmine</HI> would faine iu&s;tifie that reading, by <HI>chopping</HI> and <HI>changing poynts</HI> &amp; <HI>letters</HI> at his plea&s;ure, but his own men co~curre not with him. Such <HI>Critici&s;mes</HI> (I know) are har&s;h in a Sermon, but the text mu&s;t be cleared, that the ground be &s;ure. That which followes with an <HI>holy wor&s;hip</HI>] &s;ome read, in <HI>ornatibus &s;anctis,</HI> refer|ring it to the <HI>Prie&s;ts Robes,</HI> or garments: &s;o <HI>Mol|ler</HI> and <HI>Pi&s;cator.</HI> Others in <HI>decoribus,</HI> or <HI>decoris
<PB N="21" REF="71"> locis Sanctuarij,</HI> in relation to <HI>Ieru&s;alem,</HI> and the <HI>Temple,</HI> as <HI>Bucer, Iunius,</HI> and <HI>Caluin.</HI> Saint <HI>Ie|rome</HI> &s;eemes to mi&s;take &dalet; for &dalet;, and therefore in &s;tead of <GAP DESC="foreign">, reades <GAP DESC="foreign">, in the mountaines of holine&s;&s;e, all which our la&s;t tran&s;lation very well compri&s;eth, <HI>In the beautyes of holine&s;&s;e.</HI> To fa|&s;ten then vpon &s;ome <HI>certaintie:</HI> Two things may be hence gathered, as the <HI>graces</HI> and <HI>lu&s;ter</HI> of all <HI>Chri&s;tian wor&s;hip; Chearefulne&s;&s;e</HI> in the vnderta|king, &amp; <HI>&s;yncerity</HI> in the performance. Both which, as they concerne a &s;ettled <HI>Church</HI> or <HI>congregation,</HI> mu&s;t be &s;et forth vnto the world in regard of the place, the <HI>Temple</HI> appointed for that purpo&s;e, for the more <HI>&s;olemnity.</HI> In re&s;pect of the <HI>admini&s;tra|tion,</HI> in <HI>ve&s;tures</HI> or <HI>ge&s;tures,</HI> or &s;ome <HI>marke</HI> of <HI>diffe|rence,</HI> which &s;halbe thought fitte&s;t, for <HI>decency</HI> and edification, betweene the <HI>Prie&s;t</HI> and <HI>people.</HI> There may be a <HI>holine&s;&s;e</HI> without <HI>externall beautie;</HI> and there is <HI>externall pompe</HI> inough, not grounded vp|on <HI>inward holine&s;&s;e.</HI> But &s;uch <HI>vnlawfull diuorces</HI> &s;hould not di&s;may vs, from a ready, and voluntary &s;triuing, for regaining, and maintaining, this ble&s;|&s;ed <HI>match</HI> of <HI>beauty</HI> and <HI>holine&s;&s;e.</HI> This was Gods own precept, 3. times repeated in one chapter, Deut. 12. The <HI>free-will offrings,</HI> &amp; the re&s;t of that nature, mu&s;t not bee <HI>huddled</HI> vp in <HI>priuate,</HI> but brought to the place, which the Lord had cho|&s;en, and <HI>there</HI> mu&s;t they <HI>eate before the Lord,</HI> and they mu&s;t <HI>reioyce in all that they put their hand vnto, they,</HI> and their <HI>hou&s;e-holds,</HI> ver&s;. 7. which is againe repeated to the like purpo&s;e, ver&s;. 12. And ye &s;hall <HI>reioyce</HI> before <HI>the Lord your God, you,</HI> and <HI>your &s;ons,</HI>
<PB N="22" REF="72"> and your <HI>daughters,</HI> and your men <HI>&s;eruants,</HI> and your mayd <HI>&s;eruants,</HI> and the <HI>Leuite</HI> that is within your <HI>gates;</HI> And the third time at the 18. ver&s;e, <HI>And thou &s;halt reioyce before the Lord,</HI> in <HI>all that thou putte&s;t thy hand vnto.</HI> Surely, <HI>dulne&s;&s;e,</HI> or <HI>murmu|ring,</HI> or <HI>coldne&s;&s;e,</HI> or <HI>externall formalities</HI> aiming ra|ther to <HI>plea&s;e</HI> the <HI>world,</HI> or &s;top mens <HI>cen&s;urings,</HI> then proceeding of <HI>inward willingne&s;&s;e,</HI> is &s;o farre from acceptation at the hands of God, that hee pronounceth it worthy of all <HI>reproch</HI> and <HI>puni&s;h|ment.</HI> What a <HI>volley</HI> of <HI>cur&s;es</HI> are there thundred forth, Deut. 28. but when or for what offences, are they e&s;pecially <HI>inflicted</HI> vpon <HI>I&s;rael?</HI> The cau&s;e is playne in the 47? ver&s;e, <HI>Becau&s;e thou &s;erue&s;t not thy Lord with ioyfulne&s;&s;e and gladne&s;&s;e of heart for the aboundance of all things.</HI> Agreeable to this, was dying <HI>Dauids exhortation</HI> to his heire appa|rant <HI>Salomon,</HI> 1. Chron. 28.9. <HI>And thou, Salomon my &s;onne, know thou the God of thy Fathers,</HI> and <HI>&s;erue him with a perfect heart, and with a willing minde.</HI> The rea&s;on he addeth, is pre&s;&s;iue, <HI>For the Lord &s;ear|cheth all hearts,</HI> and <HI>vnder&s;tandeth all the imaginati|ons of the thoughts;</HI> If <HI>thou &s;eeke him, he will be found of thee,</HI> but <HI>if thou for&s;ake him,</HI> he <HI>will ca&s;t thee off for euer.</HI> And what need wee in this point goe fur|ther, then this our kingly Prophets royall prac|tice? Good God, how <HI>extaticall</HI> in this kind are the <HI>fla&s;hes</HI> of his <HI>deuotions?</HI> &s;ometimes, in <HI>chearing</HI> vp his owne <HI>dulne&s;&s;e, Why art &s;o vexed, O my Soule, and why art &s;o di&s;quieted in me?</HI> Sometimes, in exci|ting others, O <HI>clap your hands together, blow vp the trumpet in the new moone,</HI> in <HI>our &s;olemne a&s;&s;emblies,
<PB N="23" REF="72"> bring hither the lute and harpe.</HI> The <HI>Church</HI> could neuer meet with the like <HI>inuitatio~s</HI> as his, O <HI>come, let vs &s;ing vnto the Lord, let vs heartily reioyce in the &s;trength of our &s;aluation:</HI> Let <HI>vs come before his pre|&s;ence with thanke&s;giuing, and &s;hew our &s;elues glad in him with P&s;almes.</HI> And, O <HI>be ioyfull in the Lord, all ye lands, &s;erue the Lord with gladne&s;&s;e, and come be|fore his pre&s;ence with a &s;ong.</HI> In the virgin puritie of the <HI>Primitiue Churches</HI> deuotion, (when <HI>plaine Hone&s;tie</HI> was held the <HI>be&s;t policie,</HI> and <HI>formality</HI> without <HI>&s;incerity,</HI> as <HI>borrowed too &s;candalou&s;ly</HI> from the <HI>&s;tage,</HI> was denyed <HI>in&s;titution</HI> and <HI>induction</HI> into the Church of God) then the&s;e things were as re|ligiou&s;ly <HI>applyed,</HI> as now they are often <HI>repeated.</HI> But the world is altred, though <HI>God, Heauen,</HI> and the way to it, remaine continually the &s;ame. The more to blame are tho&s;e <HI>humorous &s;chi&s;matiques,</HI> that &s;narle at this, and the like <HI>fe&s;tiuals,</HI> and are come now at length to that <HI>Iewi&s;h nicene&s;&s;e,</HI> as to deny the <HI>dre&s;sing</HI> of meat vpon the <HI>Sabbath</HI> day; I &s;ay no more, from &s;uch the <HI>poore</HI> may expect poore <HI>Chri&s;tma&s;&s;es.</HI> Another &s;ort runne in oppo|&s;ition, to take vp all &s;uch times with <HI>gourmandi|zing,</HI> and <HI>gambols,</HI> in &s;tead of the&s;e <HI>free-will Offe|rings</HI> in the <HI>beauty of Holine&s;&s;e;</HI> but neither of the&s;e are worthy to be further mentioned. Our cour&s;e mu&s;t be in the meane, according to <HI>Nehemiahs</HI> direction, Chap. 8. ver&s;e 10. <HI>Who</HI> when the <HI>people</HI> that returned from the <HI>captiuity, wept</HI> at the rea|ding of the <HI>Law</HI> which they had &s;o carele&s;ly tran&s;gre&s;&s;ed: <HI>Goe your way</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>eate of the fat, and drinke the &s;weete, and &s;end portions vnto them for
<PB N="24" REF="73"> whom nothing is prepared.</HI> And his rea&s;on is re|markable: <HI>For this day is holy vnto our Lord, nei|ther be ye &s;orry, for the ioy of the Lord is your &s;trength.</HI> This cour&s;e if we tooke, on <HI>&s;uch,</HI> and the like <HI>Holy dayes,</HI> the fruit would appeare at length, in the <HI>&s;e|cret increa&s;e of the Faithfull,</HI> which I haue &s;ignified to be meant in that which followes.</P>
<P N="8">8. <HI>The deaw of thy birth is of the Wombe of the morning.]</HI> The exact vnfolding of which words, may yeeld matter enough for another Sermon: but I pre&s;ume not &s;o farre to tre&s;pa&s;&s;e vpon your patience, and therefore will onely <HI>touch</HI> them, and &s;o <HI>conclude.</HI> The differences that at the fir&s;t entrie doe here ari&s;e, are fir&s;t, concerning the <HI>rea|dings,</HI> then, the <HI>&s;ence.</HI> In the reading, there growes a diuer&s;itie both in the poynting, and words. For &s;ome would haue the kingly accent <HI>Athnach</HI> (which is here vnder the word <GAP DESC="foreign"> the morning) to &s;upply (as v&s;ually it doth) the place of a <HI>colon,</HI> or <HI>middle di&s;tinction:</HI> and then the reading may Be (as our la&s;t tran&s;lation hath it, with <HI>Iunius) In the beauties of holine&s;&s;e,</HI> from <HI>the Wombe of the mor|ning,</HI> and there &s;top. Others take it, as a note of the <HI>&s;entence</HI> onely <HI>inuerted:</HI> &s;o <HI>Pi&s;cator, Mun&s;ter, Moller,</HI> and the mo&s;t that I haue &s;eene. And <HI>Ge&s;ner</HI> giues in&s;tances of this reading, which I <HI>fol|low</HI> without preiudice to the other. The vulgar here againe is &s;trangely be&s;ides the text. For in &s;tead of, <HI>From the Wombe of the morning, thou ha&s;t the deaw of thy birth;</HI> it hath it, (as the <HI>Doway</HI> ren|ders it.) From the wombe before the day-Starre I begate thee. No colour is for it, but from the
<PB N="25" REF="73"> <HI>Greeke.</HI> I cannot &s;tay to &s;ift the <HI>ground</HI> of this <HI>mi|&s;take.</HI> Reade but onely <HI>Epiphanius</HI> in his 2. booke, the 65. <HI>Here&s;ie,</HI> again&s;t <HI>Paulus Samo&s;atenus,</HI> and you &s;hall &s;ee the inconuenience, of depending too much vpon other mens references, and taking vp things at the &s;econd hand. That <HI>good Father</HI> in that place, conferring all the <HI>Greeke</HI> copies, of <HI>Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion,</HI> the <HI>fir&s;t</HI> and <HI>&s;ixt e|dition;</HI> at la&s;t falls vpon the <HI>originall,</HI> which he &s;ets downe in <HI>Greeke letters</HI> with his owne interpreta|tion, word for word, but his <HI>Hebrew</HI> is &s;uch that I thinke few Iewes would euer vnder&s;tand, or ac|knowledge. For in &s;tead of <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>from the wombe</HI>] he hath <GAP DESC="foreign"> for <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>the morning,</HI> or <HI>from, the mor|ning.</HI>] <GAP DESC="foreign"> for <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>to thee the deaw.</HI>] <GAP DESC="foreign">] One word, which he &s;ets downe as <HI>Hebrew</HI> for <HI>deaw:</HI> And la&s;t of al for <GAP DESC="foreign"> thy birth] he hath put <GAP DESC="foreign">, a word neuer heard of. Which I mention not for any di&s;grace to that <HI>learned Father,</HI> who hath &s;o wel de&s;erued of the Church: but that it may ap|peare, how much we are beholding to tho&s;e <HI>Lin|gui&s;ts,</HI> that haue &s;pent their labours, to make the&s;e fountaines more cleare for vs. For vpon the&s;e <HI>di|uer&s;ities</HI> of readings grew diuers <HI>expo&s;itions,</HI> &s;ome, referring it to the <HI>per&s;on</HI> of Chri&s;t, others, to his <HI>members.</HI> In regard of the per&s;on of Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. <HI>5.</HI> aduer&s;. Marcion. Dialog. cum Triphon.</NOTE> <HI>Ter|tullian</HI> and <HI>Iu&s;tine Martyr,</HI> vnder&s;tand it of his <HI>Incarnation,</HI> as if by the <HI>wombe of the morning,</HI> were meant the <HI>Virgins wombe,</HI> wherein Chri&s;t was conceiued without the helpe of man, and borne in the <HI>night</HI> before the ri&s;ing of the <HI>day-Starre. Me|lancthon</HI> and <HI>Gualter</HI> mi&s;like not this,<NOTE PLACE="marg">&V;id. Moller.</NOTE> but deduce
<PB N="26" REF="74"> it in another maner. <HI>Athana&s;ius, Hilary, Ambro&s;e, Augu&s;tine,</HI> with mo&s;t of the <HI>Ancients</HI> who follow them, interpret this onely of <HI>Chri&s;ts eternall gene|ration,</HI> and <HI>Bellarmine</HI> with <HI>Ge&s;ner,</HI> &s;triues to make it auaylable again&s;t the <HI>old Heretiques.</HI> In which ca&s;e I &s;ay no more, but wee haue no need to de|pend vpon &s;uch <HI>deductions,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Part. <HI>1.</HI> q. <HI>32.</HI> art. <HI>1.</HI> Et ibid. q. <HI>46.</HI> art. <HI>2.</HI></NOTE> but that <HI>Aquinas</HI> his rule is good (which <HI>Caluin</HI> of &s;ome hath bin tax|ed for following) <HI>C&ugrave;m quis ad probandam fidem Chri&s;tianam adducit rationes quae non &s;unt cogentes, cedit in irri&s;ionem infidelium; credunt enim qu&ograve;d hu|iu&s;modi rationibus innitamur, &amp; propter eas credi|mus.</HI> Such arguments therefore are better &s;pa|red, in a choyce of diuers more vrgent. In re|gard whereof, I take this, with the <HI>current</HI> of our later writers, to be rather vnder&s;tood of the <HI>pro|pagation</HI> of the <HI>Church</HI> by the <HI>&s;eede</HI> of the Word. Of which <HI>two things,</HI> are here intimated, fir&s;t, their <HI>&s;ecrete increa&s;e,</HI> as the <HI>morning deaw,</HI> which is found vpon the gra&s;&s;e, though no vapour or cloud appeares from whence it hath de&s;cended; and <HI>&s;econdly,</HI> their <HI>multitude,</HI> which as the <HI>morning drops,</HI> in euery age more multiply, then man can take notice of. The Spirit of God therefore ne|uer cea&s;eth from the propagating <HI>Chri&s;ts Church,</HI> though men neglect their <HI>duties,</HI> &amp; all the world <HI>oppo&s;e</HI> it. And here I might take occa&s;ion to di&s;|cour&s;e how the Church is &s;ometimes <HI>inui&s;ible,</HI> and yet euer <HI>fruitfull:</HI> &s;ometimes, <HI>per&s;onated</HI> by <HI>hypocrites,</HI> and yet &s;pringing &s;till as the <HI>corne</HI> a|mong the <HI>weedes,</HI> in <HI>per&s;ecution</HI> flouri&s;hing, in <HI>exile</HI> from one place, entertayned euer in another,
<PB N="27" REF="74"> knowne &s;till to bee by her members, but onely knowne to God, how many the members be. But I perceiue the time hath preuented me. The ap|plication of the whole is: This is the day of <HI>Chri&s;ts power,</HI> wherein we are to tender our <HI>free|will offrings, prayers, pray&s;e,</HI> and <HI>thanke&s;giuing,</HI> vnto the Lord of Ho&s;tes, in the <HI>beauties of holine&s;&s;e,</HI> now he commeth downe vnto vs (as our Prophet &s;pea|keth) <HI>like the raine into a fleece of wooll,</HI> euen <HI>as the droppes that water the earth.</HI> Let vs conclude ther|fore with the end of that &s;ame 27. P&s;alme, <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed be the Lord our God, euen the God of I&s;rael, which onely doth wondrous things: And ble&s;&s;ed bee the name of his Maie&s;tie for euer; and let all the earth be filled with his Maie&s;tie. Amen, Amen.</HI></P>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="75">
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<P>THE FIRST FRVITS OF THE RESVR|RECTION.</P>
<P>A SERMON PREACHED ON EASTER DAY, AT S^t. PETERS IN THE EAST, <HI>in Oxford.</HI></P>
<P>By IOHN PRIDEAVX, Doctor of Di|uinity, <HI>Regius Profe&s;&s;or,</HI> and Rector of <HI>Exceter Colledge.</HI></P>
<P>Imprinted at London by <HI>Felix Kyngston,</HI> for <HI>Iohn Budge,</HI> and are to be &s;old at his &s;hop in Pauls Church-yard, at the &s;igne of the greene Dragon. 1621.</P>
</DIV1>
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<DIV1 TYPE="sermon">
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<PB N="1" REF="76">
<HEAD>THE FIRST FRVITS OF THE RESVR|RECTION.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>1. COR. 15.20.</HI></BIBL>
<P>But now Chri&s;t is ri&s;en from the dead, and be|come the fir&s;t fruites of them that &s;lept.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_THis day is this Scripture ful|filled in our eares, (B.) and contayneth the happie&s;t tidings that euer was im|parted to fle&s;h and blood. For <HI>fiducia Christianorum</HI> (as <HI>Tertullian</HI> begins his booke <HI>de Re&s;urrectione car|nis</HI>) is <HI>Re&s;urrectio mortuorum.</HI> The chiefe&s;t &s;tring that <HI>Chri&s;tians</HI> haue to their bow, is their vndoub|ted per&s;wa&s;ion; that the dead &s;hall ri&s;e againe. This <HI>the truth</HI> (&s;ayth he) <HI>constraynes</HI> vs to <HI>beleeue;</HI> this <HI>truth</HI> is reuealed in Gods Word; this <HI>Reue|lation</HI> is no where expre&s;t in &s;horter and plainer tearmes, then in the&s;e words of the ble&s;&s;ed A|po&s;tle, which now I haue read vnto you. I &s;hall
<PB N="2" REF="77"> not need to wa&s;te time, or &s;u&s;pend your pati|ence with an <HI>ouer-logicall demon&s;tration</HI> of the coherence with that which went before It may &s;uffice by the way, only to take notice of <HI>Fir&s;t,</HI> the Apo&s;tles auditory&punc; <HI>Secondly,</HI> his manner of procee|ding. His <HI>Auditors</HI> were the <HI>Corinthians,</HI> great <HI>Critikes,</HI> prone to <HI>factions</HI> and <HI>emulations,</HI> &s;tan|ding much vpon their <HI>Philo&s;ophy</HI> and &s;traines of <HI>&s;ubtilities,</HI> whereby the Apo&s;tles plaine cour&s;e of <HI>teaching</HI> was contemned as vulgar, his Per&s;on vn|derualued, his <HI>Followers</HI> e&s;teemed <HI>weake</HI> and <HI>&s;im|ple,</HI> as his <HI>apologie</HI> di&s;couereth in the foure fir&s;t chapters. Be&s;ides this, they had gotten a tricke to bol&s;ter out one another, for what mi&s;demea|nour &s;oeuer, and to vndergoe rather the <HI>frowne</HI> of any <HI>forraine iuri&s;diction,</HI> then quietly to haue matters compo&s;ed among them&s;elues, chap. 5. and 6. And how could <HI>this chu&s;e but</HI> draw on greater &s;candals, as quarrelling about <HI>virginitie</HI> and <HI>marriage,</HI> which &s;hould haue the <HI>preemi|nence?</HI> chap. 7. <HI>Abu&s;e of Chri&s;tian libertie</HI> to the ouerthrow of their weaker brethren, chap. 8. and 9. <HI>Irreuerent behauiour</HI> both of men and women at <HI>Prayers, Sermons,</HI> and receyuing of the <HI>Sacraments,</HI> chap. 10. and 11. Odious <HI>compari|&s;ons</HI> betweene <HI>Preachers</HI> and <HI>Lingui&s;ts, tongues</HI> and <HI>miracles,</HI> miracles and other <HI>&s;pirituall gifts,</HI> as if any of the&s;e were our owne, or of other v&s;e then to edify one another, from the beginning of the 12. to the end of the 14. chapter. No maruaile then if in a Church &s;o tainted, &s;ome fell, out of their pre&s;umptuous profanene&s;&s;e, to que&s;tion al|&s;o
<PB N="3" REF="77"> the <HI>Re&s;urrection:</HI> which, how the Apo&s;tle here meets with in this 15. chapter, may be noted far|ther as a patterne for <HI>di&s;putants</HI> in <HI>diuinitie</HI> to i|mitate. For fir&s;t he comes not vpon them with Philo&s;ophicall <HI>Quiddities,</HI> or apocryphall <HI>frag|ments,</HI> to iu&s;tifie an article of &s;uch con&s;equence. Nay (&s;ayth he) <HI>I haue deliuered vnto you, first of all that which I al&s;o haue receyued, how that Ie&s;us Chri&s;t died for our &s;innes according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he ro&s;e againe the third day according to the Scriptures, ver&s;e</HI> 3, 4. The <HI>Scriptures</HI> therefore are the grounds, and foun|dation of Apo&s;tolike building. And that ac|cording to the <HI>Scriptures,</HI> all things came to pa&s;&s;e, hee bringeth in <HI>eye-witne&s;&s;es,</HI> ver&s;e, 5.6. <HI>Cephas</HI> the <HI>Foreman,</HI> and if his word would not bee taken, an eleuen more of the &s;ame ranke to iu&s;tifie it. And in ca&s;e al&s;o that the&s;e &s;hould bee excepted again&s;t, vpon a &s;u&s;pition of par|tiality; there are ready <HI>fiue hundred</HI> brethren be|&s;ides, which all &s;aw Chri&s;t <HI>at once,</HI> after his Re|&s;urrection, and diuers were <HI>aliue</HI> at that time to witne&s;&s;e it. And le&s;t our Apo&s;tle might bee no|ted, as too confident vpon <HI>heare-&s;ay,</HI> la&s;t of all he was <HI>&s;eene of mee al&s;o</HI> (&s;ayth hee) <HI>as of one borne out of due time,</HI> the <HI>la&s;t</HI> and the <HI>lea&s;t;</HI> but all comes to one, <HI>for whether it be I or they, &s;o we preach, and &s;o yee beleeued.</HI></P>
<P>But heere the Corinthians might except, ad|mitting the&s;e proofes as &s;trong for the <HI>Re&s;ur|rection</HI> of Chri&s;t: Doth it thereupon al&s;o follow, that our bodyes &s;hall likewi&s;e bee ray&s;ed? Yes
<PB N="4" REF="78"> (&s;ayth the ble&s;&s;ed Apo&s;tl)e otherwi&s;e there were no auoiding of tho&s;e prodigious ab&s;urdities; <HI>preaching</HI> and <HI>fayth</HI> &s;hould be vaine, the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> found fal&s;e <HI>witne&s;&s;es,</HI> the <HI>liuing,</HI> in their &s;innes, the <HI>dead, peri&s;hed, Chri&s;tians,</HI> of all profe&s;&s;ions the mo&s;t <HI>mi&s;erable.</HI> Let a Scholler then gather the arguments, and he &s;hall finde the fir&s;t fairely <HI>categoricall:</HI> That which the <HI>Scripture</HI> hath ex|pre&s;&s;edly deliuered, and &s;o many eye-witne&s;&s;es beyond exception are readie to auouch, mu&s;t needes be true without contradiction, and can|not be denied without impiety; But <HI>Scriptures</HI> and <HI>witne&s;&s;es</HI> are <HI>cleare for Christs Re&s;urrection:</HI> therefore that is an argument beyond all excep|tion. The &s;econd is <HI>Hypotheticall,</HI> forcing a num|ber of intolerable <HI>ab&s;urdities.</HI> If Chri&s;tians are not to ri&s;e againe by vertue of Chri&s;ts Re&s;ur|rection, as Chri&s;t did, then the <HI>Preaching</HI> of the Apo&s;tles is a fopperie, the <HI>fayth</HI> of Chri&s;tians, vaine, the <HI>forgiuene&s;&s;e</HI> of their &s;innes, a fancy, the <HI>hope</HI> of their dead, a delu&s;ion, their e&s;tate in this life, beyond all others the mo&s;t wretched; but &s;uch <HI>inferences</HI> are no way to be indured; there|fore it mu&s;t be euer firmely held, that not onely Chri&s;t ro&s;e againe, but that Chri&s;tians by vertue of his Re&s;urrection, are al&s;o to be ray&s;ed. Vncon|troleable therefore is this <HI>minor propo&s;ition,</HI> which the Apo&s;tle here a&s;&s;umeth, <HI>But now is Christ ri&s;en from the dead, and become the fir&s;t fruits of them that &s;lept.</HI> I could not pa&s;&s;e along this goodly <HI>Field of Corne</HI> (B.) without plucking <HI>&s;ome eares,</HI> which were eminent aboue the re&s;t: for where may a
<PB N="5" REF="78"> man pre&s;ume rather then in &s;uch an Auditorie as this, where <HI>Knowledge,</HI> and <HI>Humours</HI> abound, and the deuill is mo&s;t bu&s;ie? that &s;ome are <HI>proud,</HI> and <HI>factious,</HI> &s;tanding vpon their gifts, to the vilify|ing and di&s;couraging of their weaker brethren? others profane &amp; peremptorie, to reiect all good order, irreuerently to abu&s;e the Word and Sa|craments, and turne all Gods graces in a <HI>cu&s;toma|rie wantonne&s;&s;e?</HI> On the other &s;ide, what hearers may be imagined to be more vnder&s;tanding of the <HI>Apo&s;tles Logike,</HI> for &s;ettling of their owne con&s;ciences again&s;t all <HI>Atheisticall oppo&s;ers,</HI> and the profitable imparting of it to the &s;trengthe|ning of others? Euery one therefore in his pa&s;|&s;age may <HI>rubbe</HI> out the <HI>Corne</HI> of &s;uch <HI>eares</HI> as hee liketh. I &s;hall deale with the whole <HI>heape,</HI> which the Apo&s;tle hath here in good <HI>mea&s;ure,</HI> and <HI>run|ning ouer,</HI> &s;haken together, in this narrow ve&s;&s;ell: <HI>But now Chri&s;t is ri&s;en againe, and become the fir&s;t fruits of them that &s;lept.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. The words, as you &s;ee, of their own accord, fall a&s;under into the&s;e two parts. Fir&s;t, the <HI>ground of our Re&s;urrection,</HI> in the&s;e, <HI>But now Chri&s;t is ri&s;en from the dead</HI>] Secondly, the <HI>Fruits</HI> of this <HI>ri&s;ing</HI> of Chri&s;t, <HI>And is become the first fruits of them that &s;lept</HI>] The fir&s;t includeth the <HI>cau&s;e,</HI> the &s;econd the effect, of the greate&s;t good that euer befell mankind. Ioyne both together, and no Logike euer in&s;tanced in the like <HI>Enthymeme: Chri&s;t is ri&s;en againe, therefore we &s;hall al&s;o ri&s;e.</HI> That <HI>Merchant</HI> can neuer breake, who hath &s;old all to purcha&s;e this <HI>Plot</HI> of ground; and thrice happy is
<PB N="6" REF="79"> that <HI>beneficed man,</HI> who hath &s;o payed his fir&s;t <HI>fruits.</HI> When the witty <HI>Athenians</HI> heard this doctrine of the Re&s;urrection of the dead, Act. 17. how&s;oeuer &s;ome <HI>Epicures,</HI> and <HI>Stoicks</HI> gaine-&s;ayd, ver&s;e 18. others <HI>mocked,</HI> ver&s;e 32. yet the wi&s;er &s;ort were de&s;irous to haue it <HI>repeated againe,</HI> and certaine claue vnto <HI>Paul,</HI> and beleeued, of the <HI>Noble&s;t</HI> and <HI>be&s;t ranke</HI> among&s;t them, as <HI>Diony&s;ius</HI> the <HI>Areopagite,</HI> and a woman named <HI>Damaris,</HI> and others of both &s;exes, by their good example. We are all Chri&s;tian <HI>Peripatetiques</HI> (B) and there|fore as our Apo&s;tle el&s;ewhere admoni&s;heth vs,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 13.</NOTE> <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>mu&s;t walke hone&s;tly as in the day,</HI> and be armed again&s;t the <HI>Epicuri&s;me</HI> and <HI>Stoici&s;me</HI> of &s;uch bruti&s;h oppo&s;ers. Now the cu&s;tome of the place will &s;hortly call for a <HI>repeti|tion,</HI> and I make no doubt, but many a <HI>Denys</HI> and <HI>Damaris</HI> will &s;ticke to that which &s;hall be &s;po|ken. This is a day of <HI>good tidings,</HI> and better then the Lepers could bring to the almo&s;t &s;tarued <HI>Samaritanes,</HI> of the flight of their be&s;iegers, and the <HI>plenty</HI> left behind them, and therefore wee &s;hould not doe well to hold our peace; for now is <HI>Chri&s;t ri&s;en from the dead</HI>] the <HI>ground</HI> of our <HI>for|mer</HI> freedome and future happine&s;&s;e, which com|meth now in order to be fir&s;t thought on.</P>
<P N="4">4. <HI>But now is Chri&s;t ri&s;en from the dead]</HI> If I did not purpo&s;ely now ab&s;taine from controuer&s;ies, I could here from this particle <GAP DESC="foreign">, referred to the word <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>now</HI> is Chri&s;t the <HI>fir&s;t Fruites,</HI> take occa&s;ion to di&s;cu&s;&s;e again&s;t &s;ome needle&s;&s;e mut|tering in the&s;e dayes. Fir&s;t, what became of the
<PB N="7" REF="79"> <HI>Fathers</HI> before the <HI>Re&s;urrection</HI> of Chri&s;t? whether they were in <HI>Limbo</HI> (which <HI>Bellarmine</HI> in his <HI>&s;er|mons</HI> of the <HI>Re&s;urrection,</HI> takes for a ground, and Rhetorically de&s;cants vpon) and many of the <HI>Fa|thers</HI> and <HI>Schoolemen</HI> giue way to it: or el&s;e enioy the <HI>pre&s;ence of God,</HI> in a degree of happine&s;&s;e, com|petent to &s;oules <HI>&s;eparated,</HI> as al&s;o from the word <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> referred to <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>Chri&s;t rai&s;ed,</HI> to require whether this were done by his owne <HI>Power</HI> as <HI>Re|deemer,</HI> or el&s;e by Gods <HI>Omnipotencie,</HI> helping His <HI>inferioritie,</HI> as a di&s;tinct Agent, with that <HI>ability</HI> that he wanted in him&s;elfe, for &s;uch an atchieue|ment. Be&s;ides, a doubt might be al&s;o moued concerning the <HI>obiect ray&s;ed,</HI> whether it were the <HI>per&s;on intire,</HI> or <HI>natures di&s;&s;euered;</HI> and if &s;o, whe|ther the <HI>Godhead,</HI> or <HI>manhood?</HI> or if the <HI>manhood,</HI> whether the <HI>body</HI> only, or <HI>Soule,</HI> or <HI>both,</HI> or how? The <HI>Schoolemen</HI> you know <HI>make worke</HI> for &s;uch &s;pe|culations, vpon the 3. of the <HI>&s;entences,</HI> the 21. di|&s;tinct: &amp; the 3. part of <HI>Aquinas</HI> the 53. que&s;tion. The practice whereof we haue in <HI>Abulen&s;is</HI> on the 22. of Matt. &s;pending at lea&s;t 24. <HI>di&s;putations</HI> vp|on this and the like <HI>curio&s;ities.</HI> And la&s;tly, quarrels might ari&s;e, and are pickt, from the words <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>from the dead,</HI> what &s;hould be the <HI>terminus,</HI> or bound, from whence the Soule of Chri&s;t <HI>retur|ned,</HI> whether from <HI>Purgatorie,</HI> or the <HI>pri&s;on</HI> of the <HI>Patriarkes?</HI> (as too many haue ventred to define) or from <HI>Paradi&s;e,</HI> or <HI>Hades</HI> of <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed Spirits,</HI> as o|thers would haue it; or that his de&s;cent was no farther then the <HI>graue,</HI> and the <HI>pa&s;sion torments,</HI> as a third &s;ort &s;tifly defend. But this dayes &s;olemni|tie,
<PB N="8" REF="80"> houres compa&s;&s;e, places cu&s;tome, your expe|ctations, &s;hould be wronged, to bee &s;o entertai|ned, being content (I tru&s;t) to take by the way in gro&s;&s;e: Fir&s;t, that the <HI>Fathers</HI> before Chri&s;t, and tho&s;e that follow, like the <HI>Cherubims</HI> within the <HI>vayle,</HI> looke vpon the &s;ame <HI>Mercy-&s;eate:</HI> For Chri&s;t was the <HI>Lambe</HI> &s;layne from the <HI>beginning</HI> of the <HI>World,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Apocal.</HI> 13.8.</NOTE> in Gods immutable purpo&s;e, and therfore takes away the <HI>&s;innes</HI> of the <HI>World,</HI> as well before, as after this <HI>actuall Re&s;urrection.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Cor. 10.</NOTE> <HI>Brethren, I would not haue you ignorant,</HI> (&s;ayth our Ble&s;&s;ed Apo&s;tle) <HI>that all our fathers were vnder the cloud, and in the Sea; and were all baptized vnto Mo&s;es, in the cloud, and in the Sea, and did all eate the &s;ame Spirituall meate, and did all drinke the &s;ame Spirituall drinke;</HI> for <HI>they dranke of the &s;pirituall Rocke that followed them, and that Rocke was Chri&s;t.</HI> Secondly, that the <HI>Per&s;on</HI> of this Chri&s;t was ray&s;ed, the Godhead (one with the <HI>Father</HI> and the <HI>Holy Gho&s;t,</HI> and the &s;ame <HI>Actor</HI> in all externall effects) reducing, and conioyning the &s;oule againe to the body,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 10.17.</NOTE> <HI>I haue power to lay downe my life and to take it.</HI> Thirdly, that this returne both of &s;oule and body, was from the <HI>&s;tate</HI> of the <HI>dead,</HI> by loo&s;ing the <HI>fetters</HI> of <HI>death</HI> and <HI>Hell,</HI> in which it was <HI>impo&s;sible hee &s;hould be withholden,</HI> Acts 2.24. This may &s;ati&s;fie for the pre&s;ent, tho&s;e that can content them&s;elues to bee wi&s;e with <HI>&s;obrietie.</HI> My progre&s;&s;e therefore &s;hall rather touch on the&s;e e&s;peciall pa&s;&s;ages, that con|cerne the <HI>mayne.</HI> Fir&s;t, <HI>how</HI> this <HI>re&s;urrection</HI> of our Sauiour in the old <HI>Te&s;tament</HI> was <HI>prefigured</HI> and <HI>fore-prophecied.</HI> Then, how manife&s;tly fore-told
<PB N="9" REF="80"> by <HI>him&s;elfe,</HI> and &s;hrewdly feared by his <HI>per&s;ecutors,</HI> before his death: Afterward, how vncontrolea|bly witne&s;&s;ed, both on the <HI>pre&s;ent</HI> day, when it was done, as al&s;o in the <HI>forty dayes,</HI> wherein he con|uer&s;ed with his Di&s;ciples, before his <HI>a&s;cen&s;ion.</HI> For this e&s;pecially maketh for the &s;ettling of our Faith in this <HI>grand Article.</HI> This is <HI>opus diei,</HI> the worke of the day, which Satan cannot indure we &s;hould take due notice of: we are all negligent (beloued,) and neede remembrancers to minde vs of that which wee know in the mo&s;t receiued points of Chri&s;tianitie: tis to good purpo&s;e therefore, though no new thing may bee brought to in|forme the vnder&s;tanding, to &s;et the meditations notwith&s;tanding on working, to recount with <HI>Selah's</HI> and <HI>Halleluiah's, Tehillah's and Tephillah's,</HI> all pray&s;es and thanke&s;-giuings for the infinite benefits we haue receyued.</P>
<P N="5">5. And here for the <HI>old Te&s;tament,</HI> if the brin|ging of <HI>Io&s;eph</HI> out of the <HI>pit</HI> and <HI>pri&s;on, Mo&s;es</HI> from among the <HI>flags; Sam&s;ons</HI> ri&s;ing at midnight from the midde&s;t of his enemies, and carrying away the gates of <HI>Gaza</HI> on his backe: the quitting of the <HI>three Children</HI> from the <HI>furnace,</HI> and <HI>Daniel</HI> from the <HI>Lions denne</HI> (which the <HI>Fathers</HI> take as <HI>Types</HI> of the <HI>Re&s;urrection</HI>) &s;hould be called in que|&s;tion. I &s;hall proceed more <HI>vrgently,</HI> to demand with <HI>I&s;aiah,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Chap.</HI> 53.1.</NOTE> <HI>Who was he that came from Edom</HI> with died <HI>garments,</HI> from <HI>Bo&s;rah, glorious in his apparell, and trauelling in the greatnes of his &s;trength?</HI> What is meant by his <HI>treading the Winepre&s;&s;e alone;</HI> and <HI>&s;tayning</HI> all his <HI>rayment</HI> with the blood of the
<PB N="10" REF="81"> trampled, but the victorie of Chri&s;t ouer <HI>death,</HI> and <HI>hell,</HI> in this <HI>day of his Re&s;urrection?</HI> This the Father him&s;elfe acknowledgeth, P&s;al. 2.7. <HI>Thou art my beloued Sonne, this day haue</HI> I <HI>begotten thee:</HI> which according to the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> comment, Acts 13.33. is referred not to his <HI>Eternall generation,</HI> or <HI>temporall incarnation,</HI> but to this <HI>(hodi&egrave;)</HI> of his <HI>re&s;urrection.</HI> Of the &s;ame, the <HI>Sonne</HI> interprets the being of <HI>Ionas</HI> in the Whales belly, Matt. 12.39. And who knowes not that the holy Gho&s;t by two Apo&s;tles, both Saint <HI>Peter</HI> and Saint <HI>Paul,</HI> denyes that text in the 16. P&s;alme, <HI>Thou &s;halt not leaue my &s;oule in hell, to</HI> be <HI>properly meant of Dauid,</HI> but <HI>prin|cipally,</HI> (though Typically) of that <HI>holy One,</HI> who lay not &s;o long buried as to &s;ee corruption. Such euidences the <HI>old Te&s;tament</HI> affords vs, which are notwith&s;tanding but <HI>glimp&s;es,</HI> and <HI>&s;hadowes,</HI> in compari&s;on of tho&s;e we haue in the new; where it is ob&s;erueable as a thing extraordinarie, that <HI>this article</HI> is cleared more, then any of the re&s;t. That the Di&s;ciples might no way doubt of it, he foretells then in plaine tearmes, Matth. 20.18. <HI>Behold, we goe vp to Ieru&s;alem, and the Sonne of man &s;halbe betrayed vnto the Chiefe Prie&s;ts,</HI> and vnto the <HI>Scribes, and they &s;hall condemne him to death, and &s;hal deliuer him to the Gentiles to mocke, and to &s;courge,</HI> and <HI>to crucifie him, but the third day he &s;hall ri&s;e a|gaine.</HI> And how&s;oeuer the Iewes tooke aduan|tage of a &s;peach of his to this purpo&s;e, <HI>De&s;troy this temple, and in three dayes I will ray&s;e it vp, Iohn</HI> 2.19. and made it the chiefe ground of their <HI>accu&s;ation</HI> again&s;t him, Matth. 26.61. Yet their importunity
<PB N="11" REF="81"> with <HI>Pilate,</HI> to haue his Sepulchre &s;ealed, and their care to &s;et a watch about it, of their owne faction, di&s;couered their more then &s;u&s;pition, that hee might ri&s;e againe, as they remembred that it was giuen out when he was aliue, that hee had fooretold him&s;elfe. All the&s;e a&s;&s;urances before his Pa&s;&s;ion, make for the certainty of his Re&s;urrection. But greater <HI>euidences</HI> follow after, that admit no delu&s;ion. If a man &s;hould but deale with the fee'd <HI>Ianizaries</HI> of the <HI>High Prie&s;ts</HI> and <HI>Scribes,</HI> vpon their owne grounds, their owne te&s;timonie were inough to conuince them.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 28.13.</NOTE> <HI>His Di&s;ciples</HI> (&s;ay they) <HI>came by night, and &s;tole him a|way while we &s;lept. Mentita e&s;t iniquitas &s;ibi.</HI> O the &s;otti&s;hnes of humane policie, when once it be|gins to tamper again&s;t the determinate coun&s;ell of the Almightie! His <HI>Di&s;ciples,</HI> a few, and &s;illy vnarmed men, that were at their wittes end, to thinke what &s;hould become of them&s;elues, a poore &s;ort of <HI>&s;cattred &s;heepe</HI> of a <HI>&s;mitten Shepheard,</HI> that fled from him when he was yet aliue, would they vpon the &s;odaine bee &s;o hardy, as to venter their deare&s;t liues, to recouer a mangled carca&s;e, in &s;o de&s;perate a piece of &s;eruice, &s;o vnlikely to take effect, &s;o hazardous to the vndertakers, &s;o lit|tle beneficiall, if they had &s;ucce&s;&s;e? why had they not then attempted to doe it (as <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome</HI> well ob&s;erueth) the fir&s;t night, before the <HI>Guard</HI> of <HI>Souldiers</HI> was &s;et? for the text is plaine, Mat. 27.62. It was the next day following his funerall, before the &s;ouldiers came, and &s;o long the &s;tone and &s;eale had remained vntouched. To omit the vn|likelyhood
<PB N="12" REF="82"> of <HI>vnbinding</HI> him, and leauing the <HI>lin|nen</HI> clothes behind, in a ca&s;e requiring &s;o much di&s;patch; they are manfe&s;tly taken in their owne tale: For if the <HI>&s;ouldiers were a&s;leepe</HI> (as they blanch the matter) <HI>quomodo furtum viderunt?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Tom.</HI> 10. <HI>Ho.</HI> 26.</NOTE> (&s;ayeth <HI>Rhemigius</HI> out of Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI>) how could they witne&s;&s;e that his Di&s;ciples &s;tole him? But if they were waking, and &s;aw it, what letted them to hin|der it, and apprehend the attempters? No: if they had made inquiry, and de&s;ired to be rightly informed, many in <HI>Ieru&s;alem</HI> would haue told them of <HI>opening</HI> of other <HI>graues</HI> be&s;ides this,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 27.52.</NOTE> for companie, and that of knowne and <HI>holy Saints,</HI> long before that time buried, and their bodily ap|pearing vnto diuers, to &s;hew there was &s;ome|what more then the theft of a few poore <HI>fi&s;hermen,</HI> which was accompanied with the &s;trangene&s;&s;e of &s;o great a <HI>miracle.</HI> All which circum&s;tances notwith&s;tanding, might be &s;pared in regard of the <HI>proofes</HI> that <HI>follow,</HI> which doubtle&s;&s;e are &s;o di&s;tinctly regi&s;tred by the Penmen of the <HI>Holy Gho&s;t,</HI> not to be taken in <HI>gro&s;&s;e,</HI> but <HI>particularly</HI> con&s;idered, for the &s;tirring vp of our faith and deuotions.</P>
<P N="6">6. Some later Diuines, for <HI>order</HI> and <HI>memorie,</HI> ranke them into <HI>Apparitions,</HI> and <HI>Te&s;timonies.</HI> His <HI>appearances</HI> afore his Re&s;urrection were either the <HI>&s;ame day</HI> it was done, or in the <HI>forty dayes</HI> follow|ing, before his A&s;cen&s;ion. The &s;ame day, we read that he appeared <HI>fiue times.</HI> To <HI>Mary Magdalen,</HI> out of whom he had ca&s;t &s;euen Deuils, making &s;o notorious a <HI>Conuert,</HI> the fir&s;t <HI>Euangeli&s;t</HI> of his
<PB N="13" REF="82"> Re&s;urrection, Mar. 16.19. To <HI>her</HI> againe, and the other <HI>Marie,</HI> admitting them then to touch his <HI>feete,</HI> and <HI>wor&s;hip,</HI> and to <HI>carry newes</HI> thereof to the Di&s;ciples, Math. 28.9. Thirdly, to <HI>Cleophas</HI> and his fellow, as they were going to <HI>Emmaus,</HI> in&s;truct|ing them fir&s;t as a &s;tranger in this very point, and afterward, di&s;couering him&s;elfe in breaking of bread, Luk. 24. Fourthly, to <HI>Cephas</HI> or <HI>Peter</HI> alone, as you haue in the fift ver&s;e before my text. And la&s;t of all, to all the <HI>Di&s;ciples, (Thomas</HI> only wan|ting) where they were a&s;&s;embled together, the doores being &s;hut, &s;hewing them his hands, and his &s;ide, for their more a&s;&s;urance, that it was no delu&s;ion; and taking them &s;o together, that if one would not tru&s;t his owne eyes, he might be con|firmed by his <HI>fellowes,</HI> who &s;aw it as well as him|&s;elfe, Iohn 20.19. So &s;peedily, the very &s;ame day, with &s;uch euidence, &s;o often, was the <HI>Article</HI> of the <HI>Re&s;urrection</HI> confirmed. In the <HI>fortie dayes</HI> after, we haue <HI>&s;ixe</HI> of the like <HI>appearances.</HI> To the <HI>Apo|&s;tles,</HI> (and <HI>Thomas</HI> beeing among them) eight dayes after, who&s;e <HI>doubting</HI> gaue occa&s;ion for the farther in&s;truction of all, Iohn. 20.27. To <HI>Peter,</HI> and &s;ixe more of the <HI>Di&s;ciples,</HI> as they were a fi|&s;hing at the &s;ea of <HI>Tiberias,</HI> Iohn 21.2. To <HI>Iames,</HI> (as &s;ome coniecture) for the &s;trengthning him a|gain&s;t his <HI>martyrdome,</HI> being the fir&s;t of the Apo|&s;tles that was to &s;uffer, Acts 12. To the eleuen <HI>Di&s;ciples</HI> vpon a mountaine in <HI>Galilee,</HI> to make good that he had promi&s;ed by the women, Matt. 28. To more then <HI>fiue hundred</HI> brethren at once, mentioned here by our <HI>Apo&s;tle.</HI> And to all tho&s;e
<PB N="14" REF="83"> la&s;t of all, that were pre&s;ent at his A&s;cen&s;ion, from the <HI>mount</HI> of <HI>Oliues,</HI> Actes 1. To which eleuen <HI>Apparitions,</HI> before his <HI>A&s;cen&s;ion,</HI> if wee had that to Saint <HI>Paul,</HI> Actes 9. it will make vp the full <HI>doozen</HI> or <HI>Iurie,</HI> to <HI>quit</HI> our cau&s;e, and <HI>ca&s;t</HI> oppo&s;ers. But if apparitions &s;hould &s;eeme to any too &s;ubiect to counterfeiting, we haue a <HI>cloud</HI> of witne&s;&s;es be&s;ides to confirme it. From heauen, of <HI>Angels, Hee is ri&s;en, hee is not here,</HI> &s;atisfie your owne eyes, <HI>Come &s;ee the place where the Lord lay,</HI> Matth. 28. From women in earth, who were vn|like in &s;uch a ca&s;e to vent a gull, becau&s;e they &s;carce beleeued it them&s;elues, <HI>They haue taken a|way</HI> (&s;ayth <HI>Mary Magdalen,</HI> who little thought of his ri&s;ing) <HI>the Lord out of the &s;epulchre, and I know not where they haue layd him,</HI> Iohn 20. From the Di&s;ciples, who had eyes inow vpon them, to trippe them for fayling in the lea&s;t circum&s;tance: whereupon they e&s;teemed the fir&s;t relation of the women,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 24.11.</NOTE> as idle tales, before experience had taught them that the <HI>Lord was ri&s;en indeed, and had appeared to Simon,</HI> Lu. 24.34. The&s;e things were &s;o &s;ifted, &s;o euident, &s;o manife&s;t on all hands beyond exception, that impudency it &s;elfe might &s;tand amazed, not daring in any &s;ort to di&s;auow it. It was made apparant to <HI>Iewes</HI> and <HI>Gentiles</HI> of both profe&s;&s;ions, to <HI>Di&s;ciples</HI> and <HI>Souldiers, Clergie</HI> and <HI>Laity,</HI> to <HI>men</HI> and <HI>women,</HI> both <HI>&s;exes</HI> were &s;atisfied, in the <HI>Euening</HI> and <HI>Morning</HI> no <HI>time</HI> excluded. In the <HI>garden,</HI> vpon the <HI>way,</HI> in the <HI>Citty,</HI> at the <HI>&s;ea,</HI> vp|on a <HI>mountaine</HI> in Galile, vpon another, ouerloo|king <HI>Ieru&s;alem,</HI> within <HI>doore, without,</HI> no <HI>place</HI> euer
<PB N="15" REF="83"> &s;hunned. They could not bee deluded by <HI>heare-&s;ay,</HI> for their <HI>eyes</HI> &s;aw him, a <HI>mi&s;t</HI> was not ca&s;t be|fore their eyes, for their <HI>eares</HI> heard him. As neere as might be he came to their <HI>&s;melling,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 20.22.</NOTE> (if &s;uch a &s;ence were fit to di&s;cerne in &s;uch a ca&s;e) for hee <HI>breathed</HI> vpon them, they beheld him <HI>eate</HI> and <HI>drinke</HI> with them, of &s;uch meate as was by <HI>miracle</HI> prouided for them, wherein <HI>ta&s;te</HI> might haue his portion in the di&s;couerie. But more then all the re&s;t, hee &s;hewed them his <HI>hands</HI> and his <HI>&s;ide,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 24.29.</NOTE> told them, that a <HI>&s;pirit</HI> could not haue <HI>fle&s;h</HI> and <HI>bones,</HI> as he had, wi&s;hed them to <HI>handle</HI> him, cau&s;ed <HI>Thomas</HI> to thru&s;t his <HI>hand</HI> into the <HI>wound</HI> in his &s;ide, for his owne and the fuller &s;atisfaction of them all. It were &s;trange therefore that <HI>touching,</HI> and <HI>handling,</HI> the &s;ence of <HI>feeling,</HI> &s;o <HI>often,</HI> &s;o <HI>freely,</HI> by &s;o <HI>many</HI> admitted, to make <HI>experiment</HI> about it's proper obiect, &s;hould in &s;o mayne a point be deluded. Out of all which <HI>premi&s;es</HI> you &s;ee the Apo&s;tles <HI>conclu&s;ion,</HI> and the ground of our faith inferred in the very words as my text hath it: <HI>Now is Chri&s;t ri&s;en from the dead</HI>] which I haue labou|red &s;o fully to declare, not &s;o much to conuince <HI>oppo&s;ers,</HI> as to confirme the weake <HI>beleeuers.</HI></P>
<P N="7">7. For here I make no doubt (B.) but all good <HI>Christians</HI> will bee forward for application to them&s;elues. Some vpon the con&s;ideration of Satans ab&s;olute ouerthrow, <HI>hells</HI> harrowing, <HI>deaths</HI> &s;wallowing vp in victorie, will follow the conquerous triumphs, with their heartye&s;t ac|clamations. Others in a &s;ort deiected, with the meditation of his former <HI>pa&s;sion,</HI> will now cheere
<PB N="16" REF="84"> vp their thoughts in this glorious amends; As the <HI>I&s;raelites</HI> for their e&s;cape from <HI>Pharoah, Debo|rah</HI> for the defeating of <HI>Si&s;era,</HI> the <HI>I&s;raeliti&s;h women</HI> for the ouerthrow of <HI>Golias,</HI> expre&s;&s;ed their ex|ceeding ioy in <HI>&s;et &s;ongs,</HI> and <HI>thankes-giuings:</HI> Much more euery one in this ca&s;e, &s;hould turne &s;acred <HI>Poets,</HI> and make holy <HI>Anthems,</HI> to their owne &s;oules and con&s;ciences, to celebrate the &s;olem|nitie of this <HI>Festiuity.</HI> O what ioy mu&s;t it needes be to a <HI>good heart,</HI> to recount, that when the <HI>de|uill</HI> and his <HI>complices</HI> had &s;pit all their venome, a|gain&s;t the only meanes of our Redemption, when they had (as they &s;uppo&s;ed) taken the <HI>Lion</HI> in a <HI>trappe,</HI> deliuered him to the Iaylour <HI>Death,</HI> (if I may &s;o &s;peake) without <HI>bayle</HI> and <HI>mainpri&s;e,</HI> &s;hackled him &s;ure with bolts and &s;eale, for euer &s;tirring to di&s;turbe them againe; That then the Lord awaked <HI>as one out of &s;leepe,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alme 7.5.</NOTE> <HI>and like as a Gi|ant refre&s;hed with wine! He &s;mote his enemies in the hinder parts, and put them to a perpetuall &s;hame.</HI> Then the huge <HI>Stone</HI> was <HI>rolled</HI> away, the <HI>Seales</HI> bro|ken, the <HI>Guard</HI> frighted, the whole <HI>plot</HI> &s;poyled. What ayled thee, O thou <HI>Earth,</HI> that thou &s;o <HI>trembledst,</HI> &amp; thou <HI>Stone,</HI> that thou wa&s;t &s;o <HI>driuen</HI> backe? yee <HI>Souldiers,</HI> that ye fled like cowards, and ye <HI>graues</HI> of the <HI>Saints,</HI> that ye could not keepe in your dead? It was the Lord that retur|ned from the &s;laughter, leading <HI>captiuitie captiue,</HI> and now hauing <HI>drunke</HI> of the <HI>brooke in the way,</HI> lifted vp his head to be Ruler in the <HI>midde&s;t of his enemies.</HI> Long was it before his deare&s;t <HI>Follow|ers</HI> could be po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed with this truth, but ha|uing
<PB N="17" REF="84"> once the hynt, how their <HI>hearts burned</HI> with|in them to impart it to others.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 28.8.</NOTE> <HI>Mary ranne</HI> to bring the Di&s;ciples word:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 20.3.</NOTE> <HI>Peter</HI> and <HI>Iohn ranne</HI> to &s;ee whether it were truth or no.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 24.33.</NOTE> The two Di&s;ci|ples could not re&s;t in <HI>Emmaus,</HI> (how&s;oeuer like to be benighted,) but backe they mu&s;t the &s;ame <HI>houre to Ieru&s;alem,</HI> to acquaint their fellowes what had befalne them in their walke:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 24.34.</NOTE> Their fel|lowes preuented them with the &s;ame newes, be|fore they could haue time to &s;peake. Among&s;t all which congregations, no doubt but the <HI>ble&s;&s;ed Virgin</HI> his mother bare the mo&s;t affectionate part, which notwith&s;tanding is no where here mentioned: to &s;hew, that this Spiritual Iubile was beyond the taking notice of the neere&s;t earthly relation. No (B.) we need not faine the <HI>Suns dan|cing,</HI> or <HI>Hermes vi&s;ion, or Pa&s;cha&s;inus</HI> holy <HI>well</HI> that was filled of his owne accord euery <HI>Easter day,</HI> or the annuall ri&s;ing, as vpon this day, of certaine <HI>bodies</HI> of <HI>Martyrs,</HI> in the &s;ands <HI>of Aegypt,</HI> which &s;ome friuolou&s;ly maintained, to amplifie the glo|ry of this Re&s;urrection.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>p.</HI> 3. <HI>q.</HI> 53. <HI>ar.</HI> 1.</NOTE> <HI>Aquinas</HI> giueth fiue rea|&s;ons of it: The <HI>commendations</HI> of Gods <HI>Iustice,</HI> which was to recompence &s;o great <HI>humiliation</HI> with the like <HI>exaltation:</HI> the &s;trengthening of our <HI>fayth:</HI> the a&s;&s;urance of our <HI>hope:</HI> the reforming of our <HI>liues:</HI> the complement of our <HI>Saluation.</HI> Hee might haue added for a &s;ixt out of the ble&s;&s;ed <HI>A|postle,</HI> His mightily declaring him&s;elfe to be the Sonne of God, Rom. 1. But all the&s;e are in a man|ner comprized in the part of my text that fol|loweth, being the effect and fruit of Chri&s;ts Re|&s;urrection;
<PB N="18" REF="85"> which &s;ucceedeth now in this place to be likewi&s;e di&s;cu&s;&s;ed.</P>
<P N="8">8. <HI>And become the first fruits of them that &s;lept.]</HI> I cannot more fitly enter vpon this &s;econd part of my text, then with the words of the <HI>P&s;al|mist,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 126.</NOTE> <HI>When the Lord turned againe the captiuitie of Sion, then were we like vnto them that dreame:</HI> As olde <HI>Iacob</HI> at the relation of his &s;onne <HI>Io&s;ephs</HI> be|ing aliue, Gen. 45. the newes was beyond ex|pectation &s;o good, that he tooke it for a dreame, rather then a true narration. <HI>Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with ioy. Then &s;ayd they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them, yea the Lord hath done great things for vs alreadie, whereof wee reioyce.</HI> The ground whereof is this, whereof I am now to &s;peake: <HI>Christ is ri&s;en from the dead, and is become the first fruits of them that &s;lept.</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>made, become, not in acceptation only,</HI> in regard of <HI>Gods mercy</HI> in admitting his &s;ufferings for our &s;ins, but by <HI>de&s;ert</HI> al&s;o, in &s;atisfying the Iu&s;tice of God the Father, and paying the <HI>vtmost farthing,</HI> wherein mankinde had runne into <HI>arrerages. Become the first fruits]</HI> Like vnto that is the <HI>old Testament</HI> &s;anctifying al the <HI>after-haruest,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Leu. 23 Rom. 11.</NOTE> not of <HI>al</HI> without <HI>a differe~ce,</HI> lying vnder deaths cu&s;tody, but of them that <HI>&s;lept,</HI> in expectation of him before this <HI>Re&s;ur|rection;</HI> and tho&s;e y^t follow, who &s;hal awake by ver|tue therof,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 141.8. Ezech. 37.3.</NOTE> &amp; as <HI>me~bers,</HI> follow the <HI>Head. Our bones lay &s;cattered before the pit</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Dauid) like as when one breaketh &amp; heweth wood vpon the earth. And now, Sonne of man, thinke&s;t thou that the&s;e bones can liue?</HI>
<PB N="19" REF="85"> I haue warrant to prophecie vpon them that they &s;hall liue, and to make good what I &s;ay, out of this ground of our <HI>Apostle: Chri&s;t is ri&s;en from the dead, and by vertue of this Re&s;urrection they &s;hall &s;urely liue.</HI> You know (B.) by that which hath beene &s;poken, the <HI>antecedent</HI> being cleared, that <HI>Chri&s;t is ri&s;en againe,</HI> the <HI>con&s;equent</HI> might be called in que&s;tion,<NOTE PLACE="marg">De Chri&s;to Seruat. p. <HI>2</HI> cap. <HI>3.</HI></NOTE> (&amp; is by <HI>Faustus Socinus</HI>) how thence it &s;hould follow that wee &s;hall al&s;o be ray&s;ed? This the Apo&s;tle wi&s;ely fore&s;aw, and therefore maketh it good, by three inuincible arguments. Two are couched in the&s;e few words, <HI>He is be|come the first fruits of them that &s;lept.</HI> As the <HI>first fruits</HI> are accepted, &s;o the whole ma&s;&s;e &s;peedeth, and tho&s;e only that <HI>&s;leepe,</HI> &s;hall haue a time to a|wake. The <HI>head</HI> aboue the water, the <HI>members</HI> can neuer be drowned. The third argument in the two next ver&s;es following, is of like force: <HI>As by man came death, &s;o by man came the Re&s;urrection, and if in Adam mans nature</HI> offending, became the <HI>pri&s;oner</HI> of <HI>death:</HI> why in the &s;ame re&s;tored by the Son of God, y^t a&s;&s;umed it to that purpo&s;e, &s;hould not al in the like &s;ort be made aliue? It is true that &s;ome <HI>bodily</HI> ro&s;e againe before this <HI>Re&s;urrection</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> as in the old <HI>Te&s;tament,</HI> the <HI>widowes &s;on</HI> of <HI>Sarepta ray&s;ed</HI> by <HI>Elias,</HI> the <HI>Sunamites &s;on</HI> by <HI>Eli&s;ha,</HI> and <HI>another</HI> al&s;o at the <HI>touch</HI> of the &s;ame <HI>Prophets bones</HI> in the Sepulcher, long <HI>after he was buryed: as al&s;o in the New, the Centurions daughter,</HI> the <HI>widowes &s;on of Naim,</HI> putrified <HI>Lazarus,</HI> the brother of <HI>Martha</HI> and <HI>Marie:</HI> But the ca&s;e betweene <HI>their</HI> Re&s;urrection and Chri&s;ts, is much different.
<PB N="20" REF="86"> Fir&s;t, in the <HI>effect,</HI> the&s;e ro&s;e not to liue immor|tally, but to die againe, as the <HI>Schoolemen</HI> giue the rea&s;on. Secondly, in the <HI>efficient,</HI> Chri&s;t ro&s;e by his <HI>owne</HI> victorious power, but the&s;e by vertue of <HI>this Re&s;urrection</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> as our reformed Writers more fully haue declared.</P>
<P N="9">9. The order in which this &s;hall come to pa&s;&s;e, and <HI>how</HI> the <HI>dead</HI> &s;hall be <HI>ray&s;ed,</HI> what <HI>dif|ference</HI> there &s;hall be betweene the&s;e <HI>corruptible carca&s;es of ours,</HI> and the &s;ame <HI>refined by this Re&s;ur|rection,</HI> how in the <HI>Re&s;urrection,</HI> one <HI>Starre</HI> &s;hall differ from another in <HI>glory,</HI> and what &s;hall be|come of tho&s;e that are found <HI>liuing</HI> vpon the earth, at the Lords comming, is fully <HI>added</HI> by our <HI>Apo&s;tle,</HI> in that which followeth my text, but without the compa&s;&s;e of my intended &s;cope. The&s;e texts &s;ufficiently illu&s;trate the point I haue now in hand. Chri&s;t is the <HI>beginning,</HI> the <HI>fir&s;t borne,</HI> Colo&s;. 1.18. the <HI>first begotten</HI> of the <HI>dead,</HI> Apoca. 1.5. The <HI>fayth</HI> in who&s;e <HI>Re&s;urrection</HI> &s;hall &s;aue vs, Rom. 10.9. And therefore if wee beleeue, that <HI>Ie&s;us died, and ro&s;e againe, euen &s;o them al&s;o which &s;leep in Ie&s;us, will God bring with him.</HI> Which conclu&s;ion is in the words of the Apo&s;tle, 1. The&s;. 4.14. And this he &s;o in&s;i&s;teth vpon in al his <HI>trials,</HI> as though the <HI>Creed of a Christian</HI> had con&s;i&s;ted of no more <HI>articles.</HI> In his to&s;&s;ing betweene the <HI>Phari&s;es</HI> &amp; <HI>Sadduces,</HI> Men and <HI>brethren</HI> (&s;ayth he) <HI>I am a Phari&s;e, the &s;onne of a Phari&s;e,</HI> of the hope &amp; <HI>Re&s;urrection of the dead I am called in question,</HI> Act. 23.6. After, before <HI>Felix</HI> the Gouernor, <HI>I haue hope towards God, which they them&s;elues allow, that
<PB N="21" REF="86"> there &s;hall be a re&s;urrection of the dead both of iust and vniust,</HI> Act. 24.16. before <HI>Fe&s;tus</HI> and <HI>A|grippa,</HI> Why <HI>&s;hould it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God &s;hould ray&s;e the dead?</HI> Chap. 26.6. <HI>And hauing therefore obtained helpe of God, I conti|nue this witne&s;sing both to &s;mall and great, &s;aying none other things then the&s;e which Mo&s;es and the Prophets did &s;ay &s;hould come, that Christ &s;hould &s;uf|fer, and that he &s;hould bee the first that &s;hould ri&s;e a|gaine, and &s;hould &s;hew light vnto the people and to the Gentiles,</HI> ver&s;e. 22.23. He had reference no doubt to that of <HI>I&s;aiah: Thy dead men &s;hall liue, together with my dead body &s;hall they ri&s;e: awake and &s;ing, ye that dwell in dust, for thy dew is as the dew of hearbs, and the earth &s;hall cast forth her dead,</HI> Chap. 26.19. But what &s;eeke wee a &s;urer di&s;charge, then the <HI>Master</HI> him&s;elfe of this <HI>first fruites Office</HI> affords vs, <HI>I am the Re&s;urrection, and the life: Hee that beleeueth in me, though he were dead, yet &s;hall hee liue?</HI> Iohn 11.25.</P>
<P N="10">10. For farther amplifying of this point, I will not &s;pend much time, to take notice of the ancient here&s;ies concerning it, reduced to fiue heads, and refuted by <HI>Alphon&s;us de Castro.</HI> The fir&s;t (granting the &s;oules immortality) denyed only the bodies re&s;toring, as <HI>Simon Magus,</HI> and his adherents, the <HI>Ophytes, Valentinians</HI> and <HI>Car|pocratians.</HI> The &s;econd, admitting the Re&s;urrecti|on of the bodie, imagined it to be &s;o altered, and turned it a <HI>Spirit,</HI> that it could not be &s;ayd to be the &s;ame. To refute this fancy, wherewith <HI>Eutychus Bi&s;hop of Con&s;ta~tinople</HI> much troubled the
<PB N="22" REF="87"> Church, <HI>Gregorius</HI> (before he had the title of <HI>Great or Pope</HI>) made a iourney thither from <HI>Rome,</HI> and handled the matter &s;o wi&s;ely before <HI>Tiberius</HI> the Emperour, that <HI>Eutychus</HI> booke <HI>de Re&s;urrecti|one</HI> was adiudged to the fire. A fit di&s;patch al&s;o for the Diueli&s;h pamphlets of <HI>Ostorodius</HI> and his <HI>damnable a&s;&s;ociates,</HI> which now in this Sun&s;hine of the Go&s;pell, (among diuers farre wor&s;e) &s;et a|broach the &s;ame opinion. And the Arminians (as the world &s;eeth) are too ready to take after them. The third here&s;ie is layd to the charge of <HI>Origen by Theophilus Aleaxandrinus,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Pa&s;chal.</HI> 2.</NOTE> as though he &s;hould hold the <HI>Re&s;urrection of body</HI> with &s;uch a clau&s;e, that after it had ri&s;en once, and &s;o flouri&s;hed for certaine ages, it &s;hould againe be di&s;&s;olued, and brought to nothing: but <HI>Epipha|nius cleereth Origen</HI> for this, burthening him with the flat deniall of the Re&s;urrection of the body. In regard whereof, <HI>Alphon&s;us</HI> will credit neither of the relators, becau&s;e their te&s;timonies (&s;ayth he) <HI>concerning Origen,</HI> doe not agree. As little heede is to be giuen to the imputations of <HI>Guido Carmelitanus</HI> again&s;t the <HI>Arminians,</HI> putting on them, that they hold Chri&s;t ro&s;e vpon the <HI>Satur|day,</HI> which <HI>Alphon&s;us</HI> makes the fourth Here&s;y. For who findes not by Fryer <HI>Walden&s;is,</HI> and <HI>Widdiford,</HI> again&s;t <HI>Wickliff, Peter Cluniacen&s;is,</HI> a|gain&s;t the <HI>Petrobru&s;ians, Bernard</HI> of <HI>Lutzenburg</HI> and others, again&s;t the <HI>Walden&s;es,</HI> what &s;mall tru&s;t is to be giuen to &s;uch relators, when the authors cannot be had, to &s;peake for them&s;elues? La&s;t of all, there wanted not tho&s;e who affirmed, that in
<PB N="23" REF="87"> the Re&s;urrection no <HI>women</HI> &s;hould be found, but all then &s;hould be <HI>turned into men;</HI> abu&s;ing that place of the <HI>Apostle,</HI> Ephe&s;. 4.13. of the growing of all vnto a <HI>perfit man, vnto the mea&s;ure of the ful|ne&s;&s;e of the &s;tature of Chri&s;t.</HI> But Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> elegantly refutes them <HI>De ciuitate Dei,</HI> lib. 22. cap. 17. interpreting man in that place to include, as <HI>homo,</HI> both <HI>&s;exes,</HI> and wittily concluding out of the 22. of Matthew, where our Sauiour tells vs, that in <HI>the Re&s;urrection they neither marry, nor are giuen in marriage: erunt ergo qui vel nubere hic &s;o|lent, vel ducere vxores, &s;ed ibi hoc non faciunt.</HI> Therefore &s;hall then (&s;ayth he) <HI>be the parties which on earth were married, or marriageable,</HI> but <HI>there</HI> they &s;hall be freed (as the <HI>Angels</HI>) from any &s;uch relations of <HI>man</HI> and <HI>wife.</HI> Now partly to giue &s;ome &s;atisfaction to curious demaunders, but more I thinke out of their itching <HI>humours,</HI> to make worke for their wit; the <HI>Schoolemen</HI> haue pre&s;umed to define of the qualities of tho&s;e that &s;hall <HI>ri&s;e againe,</HI> of their <HI>&s;tature, age, place, appea|rance, crownes, and coronets,</HI> more then our Apo|&s;tle, after his returne from the <HI>third heauen,</HI> euer thought fit to acquaint vs with. To better pur|po&s;e a great deale the <HI>Fathers</HI> pre&s;&s;e this point; <HI>Iu&s;tine Martyr, Athenagoras and Tertullian,</HI> to con|uince the <HI>Gentiles; Irenaeus, Ephrem,</HI> and <HI>Augu&s;tine,</HI> to &s;top the mouthes of <HI>Heretikes, Gregorie Ni&s;&s;ene; Chry&s;ostome, Cyprian</HI> and <HI>Ambro&s;e,</HI> labour e&s;|pecially in a <HI>concionatory</HI> and <HI>Pareneticall</HI> kinde of &s;traine (wherein they were excellent) to &s;ettle the con&s;cience, per&s;wade the will, and &s;trongly
<PB N="24" REF="88"> to worke vpon the affection. Saint <HI>Hierome</HI> bynds him&s;elfe again&s;t the particular errours of <HI>Iohn,</HI> Bi&s;hop of <HI>Ieru&s;alem: Dama&s;cen</HI> the <HI>Greeke</HI> ma&s;ter of the <HI>&s;entences,</HI> is full of collections out of the <HI>Ancients. Lactantius, Prudentius, Hilarie and Paulinus,</HI> tooke a delight to hallow their <HI>diuine</HI> &s;traine in Poetrie with &s;o &s;acred a &s;ubiect. <HI>Seduli|us</HI> thought it not inough to in title the memora|ble <HI>Story</HI> of the Bible, which he had compri&s;ed in ver&s;e in foure bookes, <HI>Opus Pa&s;chale, Ea&s;ter worke:</HI> but needes he mu&s;t repeate the &s;ame againe in <HI>pro&s;e</HI> vnder the &s;ame title; which the la&s;t <HI>Bibli|otheca Patrum</HI> hath now al&s;o taken in, from the library of <HI>Peter Pithaeus.</HI> The time allotted will &s;carce giue leaue, to point but at the &s;cope of each of them. They neuer thought this doctrine of the <HI>Re&s;urrection</HI> inough repeated, or &s;uffici|ently taught, or learned. Their Philo&s;ophicall an&s;wers out of the grounds of the <HI>Phy&s;ikes,</HI> to &s;hew the <HI>po&s;sibilitie</HI> of it, their <HI>rea&s;ons</HI> borrowed from the Ethikes, to proue how it &s;tands with <HI>conueniency</HI> and <HI>iustice,</HI> and their excellent <HI>&s;imi|litudes</HI> of the <HI>Phenix, corne&punc;</HI> the <HI>ri&s;ing</HI> of the <HI>Sunne</HI> after his <HI>&s;etting,</HI> and the like to illu&s;trate the &s;ame, are te&s;timonies of their extraordinary lear|ning, paynes, and piety, and patternes for vs to follow, in the due con&s;ideration of &s;o Sacred a My&s;terie.</P>
<P N="11">11. But ala&s;&s;e (B.) our thoughts (for the mo&s;t part) are taken vp with other matters: the com|monne&s;&s;e of this great trea&s;ure, maketh vs all to vnder-value it; wee can talke of it vpon occa&s;ion,
<PB N="25" REF="88"> acknowledge it to be an e&s;peciall <HI>Article</HI> of our <HI>Creede,</HI> brand with the de&s;erued note of <HI>Infidell,</HI> him that in any &s;ort &s;hould <HI>que&s;tion</HI> it: and yet come too &s;hort (God wot) in the due e&s;teeme of our <HI>Sauiours</HI> conque&s;t of death, the primarie and meritorious cau&s;e of it, or of the vertue of the <HI>fir&s;t fruits,</HI> whereby the whole <HI>ma&s;&s;e</HI> is hallowed, or the happy condition of tho&s;e, who are not <HI>dead,</HI> but <HI>&s;leepe,</HI> and repo&s;ed in their graues, as in a bed, at the voyce of the la&s;t <HI>Trumpe</HI> to awake againe. Surely our <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> accounted all things but <HI>dro&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>dung,</HI> in regard of this Knowledge of <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and <HI>the power of his Re&s;urrection,</HI> Philip. 3.10. But our auer&s;ne&s;&s;e, and neglect is &s;uch in this be|halfe, that I feare me, &s;uch <HI>&s;pirituall themes</HI> are lea&s;t &s;tudied vpon, and the Apo&s;tles price of this knowledge, among&s;t the <HI>wits of this age,</HI> held &s;omewhat too deare. The con&s;ideration of our Forefathers <HI>deuotion,</HI> &s;hould &s;et an edge on our <HI>dulne&s;&s;e.</HI> Good God! what adoe there was be|tweene the <HI>Ea&s;t</HI> Church, and the <HI>We&s;t,</HI> about the preci&s;e <HI>time</HI> of this &s;olemnitie? all were for the thing, but the <HI>emulation</HI> was about the time, who in euery circum&s;tance &s;hould be mo&s;t <HI>exact.</HI> Pope <HI>Victor</HI> and his adherents were for the <HI>Sunday,</HI> in regard that it was the day of the weeke, that our Lord ro&s;e from the dead. <HI>Polycarpus</HI> and tho&s;e of the Ea&s;t Church, tyed them&s;elues to the time of the <HI>Iewi&s;h Pa&s;&s;eouer,</HI> which might fall vpon any day of the weeke be&s;ides. The&s;e pretended <HI>tradi|tions</HI> from <HI>Iames</HI> and <HI>Iohn:</HI> the other from <HI>Saint Peter</HI> and <HI>Saint Paul:</HI> And when <HI>Irenaeus</HI> and other
<PB N="26" REF="89"> good men that interpo&s;ed, were not able to take vp the matter, the Councell of <HI>Nice</HI> became &s;o far <HI>vmpire</HI> for the Sunday, (as we finde related by <HI>Athana&s;ius</HI> and <HI>Eu&s;ebius,</HI>) and <HI>Con&s;tantine</HI> the Emperour, &s;o &s;trongly backed it with his Imperi|all letter, (which is yet to &s;hew in <HI>Socrates</HI> and <HI>Theodoret</HI>) that the not-conforming to the <HI>Coun|cels</HI> ordering in that behalfe, was made a branch of the <HI>Quarto-decimanian here&s;ie.</HI> How iu&s;tly this was done, and vpon what grounds, I cen&s;ure not; tho&s;e that de&s;ire to bee farther informed in the point, may read what <HI>Ho&s;pinian de origine Fe&s;to|rum:</HI> Bellarmine <HI>in his</HI> 3. <HI>booke de cultu Sanctorum, cap.</HI> 12. <HI>Morney</HI> in the beginning of his booke of the <HI>my&s;terie</HI> of <HI>iniquitie,</HI> haue gathered out of the <HI>Ancients:</HI> only I may not omit that which a <HI>reue|rend Bi&s;hop</HI> of our Church hath farther ob&s;erued: Should we e&s;teeme &s;o highly of <HI>euery Lords Day,</HI> that it may not be <HI>prophaned,</HI> or (becau&s;e it is <HI>de iure diuino</HI>) by the Church altered? And &s;hould <HI>Ea&s;ter day,</HI> which conteineth the <HI>ground</HI> of the <HI>change,</HI> from the <HI>Iewi&s;h Sabbath,</HI> to our <HI>Sunday,</HI> the <HI>archetype</HI> (as he calls it) or the <HI>prototype</HI> of all <HI>Sun|dayes</HI> in the <HI>yeere,</HI> bee in any &s;ort &s;canted of its due celebration? What &s;hould I &s;peake of the <HI>Cycli Pa&s;chales,</HI> or the <HI>golden number,</HI> &s;ent by the <HI>Alexan|drians</HI> to the <HI>Romans,</HI> as a rare inuention in <HI>golden letters,</HI> for a directiue <HI>calender,</HI> to find out the true &s;eat of <HI>Ea&s;ter,</HI> when <HI>Hyppolitus,</HI> the martyrs <HI>Prime</HI> (for now wee &s;o commonly call it) was found <HI>er|roneous? Dyoni&s;ius</HI> (al&s;o a martyr) and <HI>Bi&s;hop</HI> of <HI>Alexandria,</HI> was ready to mend it; and as farther
<PB N="27" REF="89"> proce&s;&s;e of time di&s;couered any &s;en&s;ible diffe|rence, there wanted not care and &s;tudie to &s;et all right againe: &s;o <HI>Eu&s;ebius</HI> corrected <HI>Diony&s;ius; The|ophilus</HI> of <HI>Alexandria, Eu&s;ebius; Pro&s;per, Theophilus; Victor</HI> of Aquitayne, <HI>Pro&s;per; Victor, Capuanus;</HI> and <HI>Diony&s;ius Exiguus,</HI> the former <HI>Victor.</HI> And when about the yeere 454. neere vpon the <HI>Councell</HI> of <HI>Calcedon, Ea&s;ter</HI> fell &s;o high in <HI>Aprill,</HI> that they doubted they were in the wrong, what adoe keepes <HI>Leo</HI> in his Epi&s;tles to <HI>Pa&s;cha&s;inus</HI> of <HI>Lilibae|um</HI> in <HI>Sicily,</HI> to <HI>Iulian</HI> Bi&s;hop of the Ile of <HI>Coos,</HI> to the <HI>Emperour Martian</HI> him&s;elfe, and his wife <HI>Eu|doxia,</HI> to &s;ollicit <HI>Proterus,</HI> Bi&s;hop of <HI>Alexandria,</HI> to &s;et all right againe. Where I inquire not why the <HI>Popes infallibility</HI> &s;hould not &s;erue him to keepe a true account in Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall matters, as well as others? The like thing fell out in Saint <HI>Ambro&s;e's dayes,</HI> and likewi&s;e in the time of <HI>Innocent</HI> the fir&s;t. Vpon which occa&s;ion, we haue that Fathers 83. Epi&s;tle, to the BB. of <HI>Aemilia,</HI> and <HI>Innocents</HI> letter to <HI>Aurelius, Bi&s;hop</HI> of <HI>Carthage,</HI> intreating him to call a <HI>Synode,</HI> that the matter might be more fully bated. So highly they valued this times &s;olemni|ty, in regard of the <HI>fir&s;t fruits</HI> con&s;ecrated in Chri&s;ts <HI>Re&s;urrection,</HI> that they held the fayling in the &s;malle&s;t circum&s;tance, a note of ingratitude, and a kinde of <HI>&s;acriledge.</HI> To preuent therefore &s;uch inconueniences in <HI>calculation,</HI> the taske at length was layd on tho&s;e of <HI>Alexandria,</HI> as held the be&s;t <HI>Mathematicians</HI> after <HI>Ptolemies</HI> time. And hence we haue the <HI>Pa&s;chales,</HI> as yeerely <HI>Almanacks</HI> &s;ent abroad by them, to informe all other Chur|ches,
<PB N="28" REF="90"> and mayntaine vniformitie. <HI>Eu&s;ebius</HI> men|tioneth &s;ome of the&s;e Epi&s;tles, &s;ent fir&s;t by <HI>Diony|&s;ius</HI> euen vnder the per&s;ecution. Three of that kind are now extant vnder the name of <HI>Theophi|lus Alexandrinus,</HI> tran&s;lated into Latine by Saint <HI>Hierome,</HI> and la&s;tly reprinted in the la&s;t <HI>Bibliotheca Patrum</HI> at Colen, containing, be&s;ides the eui|dence of the <HI>cu&s;tome</HI> of keeping <HI>Ea&s;ter,</HI> matter well worth the reading. And to intimate that onely, which time will not &s;uffer me farther to en|large, a man &s;hall hardly turne ouer the <HI>An|cients,</HI> but euer and anon hee &s;hall fall vpon <HI>Sermons,</HI> or <HI>Homilies</HI> for <HI>Ea&s;ter, que&s;tions</HI> and <HI>an&s;wers</HI> concerning the exact forme of keeping <HI>Ea&s;ter: Hymnes</HI> and <HI>Anthems</HI> compo&s;ed for the celebration of <HI>Ea&s;ter:</HI> Facts of greate&s;t con&s;equence re&s;erued, as Baptizing, of the <HI>Catechumenie, Ab&s;oluing</HI> of the <HI>Excommuni|cated, Receiuing</HI> of the <HI>Lords Supper,</HI> in mo&s;t &s;o|lemne manner; and all for the honour of this great Day. The fea&s;t of <HI>fir&s;t fruits,</HI> this <HI>ro&s;h ha&s;hanah,</HI> (containing many my&s;teries, be&s;ides common &s;olemnities) this holy time of <HI>Easter:</HI> It is &s;trange, to ob&s;erue how many bookes wee finde written together, by the mo&s;t deuout men, euen in times of per&s;ecution, by <HI>Anatolius Bi|&s;hop of Laodicea, Theophilus, of Cae&s;area, Baccillus, of Corinth, Melito, of Sardis, Irenaeus, of Lions, Hyppo|litus,</HI> the Martyr, and the great Doctor <HI>Clemens Alexandrinus;</HI> and all for the due maintaining of this cu&s;tome of keeping <HI>Ea&s;ter. Chry&s;o&s;tome</HI> de|po&s;ed, and <HI>Athana&s;ius</HI> wanting a fit place, would
<PB N="29" REF="90"> needs notwith&s;tanding <HI>keepe Ea&s;ter:</HI> the one, in a &s;pacious <HI>roome</HI> built for the <HI>publike Baths</HI> of <HI>Con&s;tantinople;</HI> the other, in a <HI>Church</HI> at <HI>Alexan|dria</HI> not con&s;ecrated: So hainous a matter they thought it to neglect the due ob&s;eruing of Ea|&s;ter.</P>
<P N="12">12. And to come at length to our owne &s;elues, and cu&s;tomes, deriued from &s;acred anti|quitie, what meanes our preparation by a Lent-fa&s;t, the &s;olemne repetition of the&s;e <HI>Ea&s;ter Ser|mons,</HI> rather then any other, the extraordinarie <HI>concour&s;e</HI> to the <HI>Lords Supper,</HI> at this time of the yeere e&s;pecially, but to draw vs by all circum&s;tan|ces, to reckon with him for our <HI>Ea&s;ter duties,</HI> that hath &s;o effectually payed our <HI>fir&s;t fruits</HI> for vs, at this holy time of <HI>Ea&s;ter?</HI> What the&s;e duties are, our Apo&s;tle el&s;ewhere &s;heweth. As Chri&s;t was ray&s;ed vp by the Glorie of the <HI>Father,</HI> &s;o we al&s;o &s;hould walke in <HI>newne&s;&s;e of life.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 6.4.</NOTE> <HI>And if wee be ri|&s;en with Chri&s;t, why &s;eeke we not tho&s;e things which are aboue?</HI> Col. 3.1. Our <HI>dulne&s;&s;e</HI> in our <HI>vocations, deadne&s;&s;e</HI> in our <HI>deuotions, faintne&s;se</HI> at the approch of <HI>death,</HI> and the graue, are arguments that the&s;e <HI>Re&s;urrection Sermons</HI> cannot be too often <HI>repeated. Wherefore, brethren,</HI> be ye <HI>&s;tedfa&s;t</HI> and <HI>immoueable, alwaies abounding</HI> in this worke of the <HI>Lord,</HI> for as much as you know that your <HI>labour</HI> is not in vaine in the <HI>Lord.</HI> For what cro&s;&s;e or temptation can amate a Chri&s;tian &s;oule, that can make but the true v&s;e of this &s;hort text, <HI>Chri&s;t is ri&s;en againe, and become the fir&s;t fruites of them that &s;lept?</HI> Turne &s;uch a man to fight with <HI>bea&s;ts, after the manner
<PB N="30" REF="91"> of men;</HI> pre&s;ent before him the <HI>&s;take</HI> or <HI>tortures;</HI> the a&s;&s;urance of his re&s;toring by the <HI>Re&s;urrection,</HI> is a <HI>Super&s;edeas</HI> to him in all his trials. Vpon this af|fiance he will profe&s;&s;e with old <HI>Ignatius,</HI> that it belongeth to <HI>Gods wheate,</HI> to be <HI>ground</HI> with <HI>bea&s;ts teeth:</HI> he will re&s;olutely, with Saint <HI>Laurence</HI> on the Gridiron, offer <HI>both &s;ides</HI> to be <HI>broyled.</HI> In lo&s;&s;es, in &s;ickne&s;&s;e, in di&s;graces, in all a&s;&s;aults of Satan, in the pangs of death, he will be alwaies repeating with Iob,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob 19.</NOTE> I know <HI>that my Redeemer li|ueth, and that he &s;hall &s;tand at the latter day vpon the earth,</HI> and though <HI>after my skin, wormes de&s;troy this body, yet in my fle&s;h &s;hall I &s;ee God.</HI> La&s;t of all, in the death of our parents, and children, brethren, &s;i&s;ters, or friends, or any other, who are neere and deare vnto vs, what comfort &s;o pre&s;ent as this, &s;o &s;urely grounded, &s;o fit to be applyed, That <HI>Christ is ri&s;en from the dead,</HI> hath <HI>&s;atisfied</HI> the vtmo&s;t <HI>far|thing,</HI> hath broken vp the <HI>pri&s;on,</HI> turned the <HI>death</HI> of the faythfull into a <HI>&s;leepe,</HI> out of which, by ver|tue of his <HI>Re&s;urrection,</HI> they are to awake <HI>againe,</HI> vnto a farre more happie e&s;tate. Seeing there|fore that Chri&s;t our <HI>Pa&s;&s;eouer</HI> hath beene thus <HI>&s;acrificed</HI> for vs, and payed the <HI>fir&s;t fruits</HI> whereby wee are re&s;tored, and reconciled to God the Fa|ther, let vs keepe <HI>this fea&s;t not with old leauen, neither with the leauen of malice</HI> and <HI>wickednes,</HI> nor <HI>dicing,</HI> nor ab&s;urd <HI>dancing,</HI> or <HI>ridiculous legend-preaching</HI> to make the people laugh, which <HI>Du|rand</HI> and <HI>Beleth</HI> commend in their <HI>popi&s;h Bi&s;hops,</HI> as <HI>Ho&s;pinian</HI> at large declareth, but with the vn|leauened bread of <HI>&s;inceritie</HI> and truth: This is the
<PB N="31" REF="91"> day which the Lord hath made, let vs <HI>reioyce and be glad in it.</HI> Let our hearts <HI>dance</HI> for <HI>ioy,</HI> and in our &s;ongs let vs pray&s;e him. Tell it out among the heathen, and when our children or Iuniors &s;hall aske, what meane the&s;e <HI>&s;olemnities</HI> at this time that the Church is &s;o carefull to ob&s;erue, be|fore any other; let vs amply relate vnto them, how we were vtterly lo&s;t in <HI>Adam,</HI> and became the <HI>pri&s;oners</HI> of &s;inne, <HI>death</HI> and <HI>hell:</HI> but now is Chri&s;t <HI>ri&s;en againe, the fir&s;t fruites</HI> of them that &s;leepe, for their euerla&s;ting recouerie; the benefit whereof, by no triumphs, laud, and thank&s;giuing, can be &s;ufficiently expre&s;&s;ed. O thou therefore that of <HI>stones</HI> can&s;t ray&s;e vp children vnto <HI>Abra|ham,</HI> and reuiued&s;t <HI>Lazarus</HI> when he &s;tanke in his graue, make our dead hearts &s;en&s;ible of the vertue of thy <HI>Re&s;urrection,</HI> that &s;econding thy <HI>fir&s;t fruits</HI> with a &s;erious awaking to righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, we may triumphantly meete death in the face with this happie <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>O death, where is thy &s;ting? &ocirc; graue, where is thy victorie?</HI> Heare vs, &ocirc; Lord, for <HI>his</HI> &s;ake, who dyed for our &s;innes, and ro&s;e againe for our iu&s;tification: to whome with thee and the ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Spirits,</HI> be all pray&s;e and glory both now and euer. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
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</TEXT>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="92">
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<P><HI>Gowries Con&s;piracie.</HI></P>
<P>A SERMON PREACHED AT S^t^. MARIES IN OXFORD, the fifth of Augu&s;t.</P>
<P>By IOHN PRIDEAVX, Doctor of Di|uinity, <HI>Regius Profe&s;&s;or,</HI> and Rector of <HI>Exceter Colledge.</HI></P>
<P>Imprinted at London by <HI>Felix Kyngston,</HI> for <HI>Iohn Budge,</HI> and are to be &s;old at his &s;hop in Pauls Church-yard, at the &s;igne of the greene Dragon. 1621.</P>
</DIV1>
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<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="sermon">
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<PB N="1" REF="93">
<HEAD>GOWRIES CONSPI|RACIE.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>2. SAM. 20.1.</HI></BIBL>
<P>And there happened to be there a man of Belial, who&s;e name was Sheba, the &s;onne of Bichri, a Benia|mite, and he blew a trumpet, and &s;ayd, We haue no part in Dauid, neither haue we inheritance in the &s;onne of I&s;hai: Euery man to his tents, O I&s;rael.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_THere is no &s;tate &s;o &s;ettled vnder the Sun, but &s;ubiect it is to manifold alterati|ons. S^t. <HI>Ambro&s;e</HI> giues the rea&s;on in his &s;ixth booke and 39. <HI>Epistle,</HI> becau&s;e true <HI>Rest</HI> and <HI>&s;ecurity</HI> keepe their re&s;idence in <HI>heauen</HI> onely, and not here on earth: and therefore (as Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> writes to <HI>Cele&s;tinus</HI> in his 63. Epi&s;tle) in this world are not any way to be expected. If <HI>any</HI> might pre|&s;ume to &s;peed better then others, Kings might
<PB N="2" REF="94"> plead their Prerogatiue: but being in the &s;ame &s;hip with their inferiours, they are forced to runne the hazard of the &s;ame tempe&s;ts. So gene|rally that old ver&s;e falleth out to be true,
<Q>Interdum pax est, pacis fiducia nunquam.</Q> Aboue many others, a man would haue thought <HI>King Dauid,</HI> a King of Gods owne making, a <HI>man after his owne heart,</HI> &s;o beloued at home, &s;o feared abroade, &s;o compa&s;&s;ed on euery &s;ide with inward and outward ble&s;&s;ings, had at length beene &s;ufficiently guarded from any extraordi|nary attempts of <HI>traytours</HI> or <HI>trea&s;on.</HI> Hee had &s;o miraculou&s;ly e&s;caped <HI>Saul,</HI> &s;ubdued the <HI>Phili|&s;tims,</HI> recouered <HI>Ieru&s;alem</HI> from the ob&s;tinate <HI>Ie|bu&s;ites,</HI> the finger of God appeared in all his acti|ons, and victories, he wanted not friends, and kinred, his Captaines and Souldiours were ter|rible, his &s;onnes many and towardly, his trea|&s;ure boundle&s;&s;e, and his owne valour and expe|rience famous among&s;t his &s;ubiects and borde|rers, &s;o that <HI>de&s;peratene&s;&s;e</HI> it &s;elfe might haue trembled to haue giuen him the on&s;et: Yet the text here &s;heweth, that as the be&s;t men haue their faults, &s;o Gods deare&s;t children want not their cro&s;&s;es. In the matter of <HI>Vriah, Dauid</HI> in three re&s;pects had beene &s;candalou&s;ly too blame, in <HI>murder, adulterie,</HI> and the vnder-hand <HI>betraying</HI> of a poore Innocent. The fir&s;t whereof, God repayed by the murder of his owne &s;onne <HI>Ammon,</HI> and the death of the childe begotten in <HI>adulterie.</HI> The &s;econd, by the deflowring fir&s;t of his daughter <HI>Tamar,</HI> by her owne brother, and
<PB N="3" REF="94"> then of his owne wiues, by his ince&s;tuous &s;on <HI>Ab|&s;alom;</HI> who as he rai&s;ed out of his owne bowels to turne <HI>traytour</HI> again&s;t him, (as appeareth in the fiue former chapters) &s;o here he ordereth the malice of <HI>Sheba</HI> to ray&s;e another commotion, iu&s;tly puni&s;hing <HI>&s;inne</HI> by <HI>&s;inne,</HI> and working his owne ends, by &s;uch peruer&s;e in&s;truments. The brand therefore of <HI>Ab&s;alom</HI> is &s;carce here quench|ed, when <HI>Sheba</HI> &s;teps forth to blow new coales of <HI>rebellion;</HI> Of which <HI>trecherous attempt</HI> of a di&s;loyall and fal&s;e-hearted &s;ubiect, again&s;t his mo&s;t religi|ous and lawfull <HI>Soueraigne,</HI> I haue taken in hand vpon this <HI>day</HI> and occa&s;ion, e&s;pecially to treate of.</P>
<P N="2">2. Where not to burden your attentions with vnnece&s;&s;ary curio&s;ities, ob&s;erue, I be&s;eech you, with me in the generall,</P>
<P>The&s;e three cir|cum&s;tances:
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. The <HI>occa&s;ion</HI> giuen by a contention betweene the <HI>I&s;rae|lites,</HI> and the men of <HI>Iuda,</HI> in the former Chapter, and here acci|dentally embraced by a trea|cherous di&s;po&s;ition, <HI>And there happened to be there.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>2. The <HI>traytour</HI> liuely deci|phered in his colours, <HI>a man of Belial, who&s;e name was Sheba, the &s;onne of Bichri, a Beniamite.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>3. The <HI>trea&s;on it &s;elfe,</HI> fir&s;t, <HI>confu&s;edly</HI> breaking out in the doubtfull &s;ound of a <HI>Trumpet: And he blew a trumpet.</HI> Second|ly, di&s;tinctly vttered in expre&s;&s;e
<PB N="4" REF="95"> <HI>rebellious termes:</HI> &amp; he &s;aide, <HI>We haue no part in Dauid, neither haue we inheritance in the &s;on of I&s;hai; Euery man to his tents, O I&s;rael.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>The <HI>occa&s;ions,</HI> aduantagious, the traytour, malicious, the <HI>trea&s;on,</HI> perilous. As the occa&s;i|on vnexpectedly, drawes on the <HI>traytour;</HI> &s;o the <HI>traytour</HI> violently &s;ets on foote the trea&s;on. Whence we may ea&s;ily gather, the <HI>danger</HI> of <HI>oc|ca&s;ions,</HI> the <HI>rancour</HI> of <HI>di&s;loyalty,</HI> and the vncon|&s;tant <HI>leuity</HI> of an incen&s;ed multitude; And for memory we may thus connect it: When <HI>occa&s;i|on</HI> is offered, (how&s;oeuer they otherwi&s;e &s;triue to appeare good &s;ubiects) <HI>traytours</HI> will bee euer ready to vent their trea&s;ons. Of all which, whiles I &s;hall plainely di&s;cour&s;e according to my <HI>tumul|tuous proui&s;ion,</HI> I tru&s;t, my <HI>occa&s;ions</HI> &s;hall priui|ledge me from tho&s;e &s;ini&s;ter cen&s;ures which pa&s;&s;e vpon matters without due notice of circum&s;tan|ces. But be the <HI>manner</HI> of propounding taken as it may be: the <HI>doctrine</HI> (I am &s;ure) will not be gaine&s;ayd, being occa&s;ioned by this <HI>dayes cele|bration,</HI> again&s;t <HI>traytours</HI> and <HI>trea&s;ons,</HI> of which my text containeth a notable <HI>example,</HI> with the <HI>occa&s;ion</HI> intimated in the fir&s;t words.</P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>And there happened to be there] Ca&s;u,</HI> &s;ayth <HI>Iunius,</HI> with the Chaldy <HI>paraphra&s;e. Accidit,</HI> &s;ayth <HI>Ca&s;talio. Forte fortun&acirc;,</HI> &s;ayth <HI>Vatablus.</HI> The <HI>Greekes</HI> haue a double rendring, <GAP DESC="foreign">, cal|led hither as it were by chance, (as &s;ome would haue it) which others expre&s;&s;e by <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>occur|rit,</HI> as being an aduenture, which was occa|&s;ionally
<PB N="5" REF="95"> met with. Whether this <HI>Sheba</HI> were a party in <HI>Ab&s;aloms</HI> rebellion, and then came in with <HI>Ama&s;a,</HI> vpon the ouerthrow in the <HI>wood</HI> of <HI>Ephraim,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 18.</NOTE> or that afterward he thru&s;t in among the <HI>tenne Tribes</HI> at Gilgal, to congratulate the <HI>Kings victorie,</HI> to conduct him backe with ho|nour vnto <HI>Ieru&s;alem;</HI> the text expre&s;&s;eth not, and I hunt not after coniectures. Once this is mani|fe&s;t, that here he was; for &s;o runne the words in the originall <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>ibi euenit, vel ca&s;u erat,</HI> there he happened to be (as <HI>Arias Montanus</HI> with <HI>Pagnine</HI> expre&s;&s;eth it word for word) which inti|mates, that his <HI>being there</HI> was meerely acciden|tall. And how&s;oeuer Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> mi&s;like in his writings, the name of <HI>chance,</HI> and <HI>fortune,</HI> in regard it might be offen&s;iue, by a cu&s;tomary <HI>heatheni&s;h interpretation:</HI> Yet the Scripture appli|ed to our capacities, often hath it; fora&s;much as things mo&s;t certaine by Gods di&s;po&s;ition and prouidence, in re&s;pect of mans circum&s;pection, may be termed <HI>ca&s;uall.</HI> God (out of doubt) here had a purpo&s;e, (as <HI>Brentius</HI> and <HI>Peter Martyr</HI> well ob&s;erue) either to make a further triall of <HI>Dauids</HI> fayth and <HI>patience;</HI> or to curbe him from being too pre&s;umptuous vpon the &s;trange recouery of his &s;tate, and Kingdome; or to le&s;&s;on him in the <HI>variable ficklene&s;&s;e</HI> of a <HI>wauering multitude,</HI> and teach him to depend wholly on him, and none other. As on the other &s;ide who &s;eeth not, that <HI>Sheba's</HI> inueterate malice was ordred to be di&s;-vi|zord, and puni&s;hed, by &s;uch a publike attempt, and &s;hame? How&s;oeuer this, we may build vpon
<PB N="6" REF="96"> by the connection of the&s;e words, with the latter end of the former Chapter, that the heate be|tweene <HI>I&s;rael</HI> and <HI>Iuda,</HI> who &s;hould &s;eeme mo&s;t officious to their King, gaue the <HI>hint</HI> to a fal&s;e-hearted <HI>traytour,</HI> to ray&s;e a new <HI>rebellion.</HI> Whence I inferre, <HI>That hypocriticall traytours watch their times, and are readie to vent their villanie, vpon the lea&s;t aduantage.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. So <HI>Cain</HI> &s;ets vpon his brother <HI>Abel,</HI> when he had &s;euered him from his parents, and they two were alone in the field together, Gene&s;is 4.8. <HI>Simeon</HI> and <HI>Leui, brethren in iniquitie,</HI> take their time to murder the <HI>Sichemites,</HI> when they were <HI>&s;ore</HI> of their <HI>Circumci&s;ion,</HI> Gen. 34. <HI>Dalilah</HI> knew well enough, that there was no <HI>&s;hauing</HI> of <HI>Sam&s;on,</HI> till he was thorowly lulled a&s;leepe, Iudg. 24. But the mo&s;t vnnaturall trea&s;on that a man in this kinde &s;hall euer light on, was that of <HI>Adra|melech</HI> and <HI>Sharezar, Sennacheribs</HI> &s;onnes, who tooke the vantage of their father at his <HI>deuotions,</HI> in the hou&s;e of <HI>Ni&s;roch</HI> his god: the &s;tory is &s;et downe, 2. Kings. 19.37. Where in &s;tead of the word <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>his &s;onnes,</HI> in the originall, we finde the <HI>vowels</HI> &s;et in the text (which is &s;omewhat &s;trange in that tongue) without their <HI>con&s;onants:</HI> Per|chance to intimate clo&s;ely, that &s;o many circum|&s;tances, concurring otherwi&s;e for the aggraua|ting of the offence, as <HI>&s;ubiects</HI> to lay violent <HI>hands</HI> on a <HI>King,</HI> and that in the <HI>Temple,</HI> and that at his <HI>deuotions,</HI> to adde further, that it was done by his <HI>owne &s;onnes;</HI> how&s;oeuer it be more <HI>vocall</HI> then the bloud of <HI>Abel;</HI> yet the manner of &s;etting it
<PB N="7" REF="96"> downe, &s;hould &s;hew it al&s;o to be <HI>&s;celus infandum,</HI> a wickedne&s;&s;e too mon&s;trous to be fully expre&s;t. And yet we neede not goe farre, to find the like among the people of God; &s;o farre doth <HI>Satan</HI> preuaile with the ambitious humours of <HI>irreligi|ous mi&s;creants.</HI> Two <HI>&s;onnes</HI> there were, that <HI>Dauid</HI> had, whom he e&s;pecially (as it were) <HI>doted</HI> vpon, aboue the re&s;t of his children, <HI>beautifull Ab&s;alom,</HI> and <HI>gallant Adoniah,</HI> and both of the&s;e take their vantages (as farre as in them lay) to tumble their <HI>aged Father</HI> downe from his <HI>throne,</HI> and <HI>bury</HI> him <HI>aliue,</HI> to make way for their prodigious, and pre|po&s;terous purpo&s;es. The former, by the <HI>peoples fauour,</HI> which he had gotten by his <HI>hypocriticall po|pularitie;</HI> the latter, by his fathers <HI>feeblene&s;&s;e,</HI> back|ing him&s;elfe by the countenance of <HI>violent Ioab,</HI> and di&s;loyall <HI>Abiathar.</HI> This hard mea&s;ure re|ceiued good <HI>King Dauid,</HI> at the hands of tho&s;e, of whom he be&s;t de&s;erued. He &s;aw the <HI>law</HI> of <HI>na|ture,</HI> violated, <HI>con&s;cience</HI> of &s;o hainous a fact, con|temned, his <HI>indulgence</HI> repayd, with mon&s;trous in|gratitude, his tryed <HI>valour,</HI> outbraued by his owne &s;ubiect, who could not be ignorant of it. But that which touched him <HI>neere&s;t,</HI> was, that in his per&s;on, and through his &s;ides, <HI>Religion,</HI> and the name of God was <HI>bla&s;phemed</HI> among the heathen: in compari&s;on of which, he held the virulent ray|lings of damned <HI>Shimei,</HI> too &s;light to bee taken a|ny notice of. <HI>Behold,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Chap.</HI> 16.11.</NOTE> (&s;ayth he to <HI>Abi&s;hai</HI> and the re&s;t of his &s;eruants) <HI>my &s;onne, which came foorth of my bowels, &s;eeketh my life;</HI> how much more now, may <HI>this Beniamite</HI> doe it? <HI>Let him alone, let him
<PB N="8" REF="97"> cur&s;e:</HI> for <HI>the Lord hath bidden him.</HI> Thus a broken and contrite heart, &s;tanding at the <HI>barre</HI> of Gods Iu&s;tice, and <HI>daunted</HI> at the multitude of it's owne inditements, is willing to put vp any thing, in lieu of his owne <HI>&s;atisfaction.</HI> Hee will &s;peake for the <HI>diuelli&s;h traytour,</HI> per&s;i&s;ting in the height of his villany, <HI>Intreat the young man Ab&s;alom gently for my &s;ake.</HI> He will lament his <HI>death,</HI> as <HI>vntimely,</HI> and <HI>vnde&s;erued,</HI> O <HI>my &s;onne Ab&s;alom, my &s;onne, my &s;onne Ab&s;alom, would God I had died for thee,</HI> O <HI>Ab&s;alom, my &s;onne, my &s;onne!</HI> But the <HI>Iudge</HI> of all the <HI>World</HI> is not &s;ubiect to &s;uch <HI>pa&s;sions,</HI> nor &s;atisfyed (mo&s;t commonly) in &s;uch a &s;ort, without <HI>exemplary pu|ni&s;hment;</HI> none &s;hall touch his <HI>Anointed</HI> for <HI>euill,</HI> but euill &s;hall <HI>hunt tho&s;e wicked per&s;ons to de&s;troy them.</HI> The traytour here in my text, could not be ignorant of this. For if he had neuer taken no|tice of <HI>Corahs</HI> con&s;piracy, and the puni&s;hment thereof:<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Chap.</HI> 4.</NOTE> <HI>Baanah's</HI> and <HI>Rechabs</HI> betraying of <HI>I&s;hbo|&s;heth,</HI> and the end of it: Yet <HI>Ab&s;alom's</HI> fact, and iudgement, could not be vnknowne vnto him; Euery one of the people could haue told him, how miraculou&s;ly his huge army was defeated, by a &s;mall number, with the lo&s;&s;e of <HI>twenty thou|&s;and;</HI> how &s;trangely the <HI>Wood deuoured more people</HI> that <HI>day</HI> then <HI>the &s;word.</HI> It mu&s;t needs then be in the mouth of euery one, that a <HI>&s;encele&s;&s;e</HI> thicke-<HI>bough'd</HI> Oke performed the part of a <HI>good &s;ubiect,</HI> to apprehend the <HI>traytour,</HI> that his <HI>Mule</HI> left him to the <HI>gallowes,</HI> who had renounced his allegiance to his <HI>King,</HI> and <HI>Father;</HI> that the earth refu&s;ed to receiue him; <HI>Heauen,</HI> was &s;hut again&s;t him; none
<PB N="9" REF="97"> of all his <HI>troupe</HI> left to guard him, who had in &s;o high a nature wronged the <HI>Creatour</HI> of all, in his <HI>Anointed Vicegerent.</HI> La&s;t of all, I make no doubt, but diuers al&s;o ob&s;erued, and &s;pake of the extra|ordinary hand of God, expre&s;&s;ed in <HI>Ioab's vio|lence,</HI> in the &s;peedy di&s;patching him, notwith|&s;tanding the <HI>Kings</HI> expre&s;&s;e <HI>charge</HI> to the contra|ry, accompanied with his infamous buriall, in a great <HI>ditch,</HI> or <HI>pit,</HI> like a <HI>carrion,</HI> vnder a heape of <HI>&s;tones:</HI> whereas formerly he had ambitiou&s;ly pro|uided a &s;tately monument for that purpo&s;e, to wit, a <HI>Piramis,</HI> or <HI>pillar</HI> in the <HI>Kings dale.</HI> Some of which expre&s;&s;e tokens of Gods vengeance again&s;t &s;uch Rebels, at the lea&s;t, all ioyned together, &s;o <HI>lately</HI> acted, &s;o <HI>fre&s;hly</HI> bleeding, &s;o <HI>notoriou&s;ly</HI> &s;pred abroad &amp; knowne, might haue amated this tray|tour in my text, from venturing again &s;o &s;oone, if he had had the lea&s;t &s;parke of grace, or co~mon hu|manity, or policie in him. But <HI>malice</HI> is <HI>blind, de&s;pe|ratenes</HI> admits not of <HI>di&s;cour&s;e:</HI> he mu&s;t needs on, whom the <HI>diuell</HI> violently pu&s;heth: an oportunity was giuen, <HI>Sheba's</HI> fal&s;e heart was <HI>tender,</HI> and mu&s;t needs take <HI>fire.</HI> Seing he <HI>hapned to be there,</HI> whe~ &s;uch an occa&s;ion <HI>hapned</HI> to fal out, he would take adua~|tage to vent his malice, what&s;oeuer became of it.</P>
<P N="5">5. A le&s;&s;on fir&s;t for <HI>Kings,</HI> and <HI>Magi&s;trates,</HI> not to rely too much vpon tho&s;e that are of <HI>none,</HI> or a <HI>&s;u&s;pected religion:</HI> For how&s;oeuer they <HI>ki&s;&s;e,</HI> &amp; cry, <HI>Ma&s;ter,</HI> with <HI>Iudas,</HI> or profe&s;&s;e they haue <HI>&s;omewhat to &s;ay from God,</HI> as <HI>Ehud</HI> told <HI>Eglon:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iudg. 3.</NOTE> yet they car|ry a <HI>two-edged dagger</HI> vnder their rayment, (as there he did;) which is too loo&s;e in the &s;cabberd,
<PB N="10" REF="98"> (as <HI>Ioabs</HI> was) and will bee the readier to &s;trike you vpon any aduantage giuen them. <HI>Godoliah</HI> was too confident on his owne <HI>innocency,</HI> and the loyalty of tho&s;e that &s;pake him fayre; whereupon when hee was truly informed by <HI>Iohanan</HI> and o|thers, that <HI>I&s;mael</HI> the &s;onne of <HI>Nethaniah,</HI> was &s;uborned by <HI>Baalis</HI> King of <HI>Ammon,</HI> to &s;lay him, he beleeued them not; but an&s;wered <HI>Iohanan</HI> in anger, <HI>Thou &s;peake&s;t fal&s;ly of I&s;mael;</HI> Ier. 40. and the la&s;t ver&s;e. But the euent prooued it too true; for his &s;ecurity gaue the aduantage, which the traytor taking, performed that mo&s;t wicked de|&s;igne; which made all the mi&s;erable remnant of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> to &s;mart for it. In con&s;ideration whereof, no doubt, <HI>Zerubbabel,</HI> and the chiefe of the <HI>Fa|thers</HI> returned from the captiuity, tooke after|ward a better cour&s;e, Ezra 4. For when the trea|cherous enemies of the Church, made a proffer to ioyne with them in the reedifying of the Temple: No (&s;ay they) <HI>you haue nothing to doe with vs to build a hou&s;e vnto our God, but we our &s;elues together will build it to the Lord God of I&s;rael.</HI> So &s;u&s;picious were they, that they who remayne fal&s;e-hearted to God, would neuer prooue tru&s;ty to his faithfull &s;eruants. <HI>Dauid</HI> him&s;elfe in diuers places complaines of &s;uch kinde of people, in the fiue and thirtieth P&s;al. <HI>When they were &s;icke</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>I put on &s;ackcloth, and humbled my &s;elfe with fa|&s;ting; I behaued my &s;elfe as though it had been my friend, or my brother, I went heauily as one that mour|neth for his mother. But in mine aduer&s;itie they re|ioyced, and gathered them&s;elues together, yea, the very
<PB N="11" REF="98"> abiects came together again&s;t me, and that vnawares, making mowes at me, &amp; cea&s;ed not.</HI> In the 41. P&s;alme he taketh vp the &s;ame theame againe, and di&s;play|eth their hypocri&s;ie: <HI>If he come to &s;ee me, he &s;peaketh vanity, &amp; his heart co~ceiueth fal&s;hood again&s;t him&s;elf, and when hee commeth forth, he telleth it.</HI> And this he takes mo&s;t vnkindely of all in the 55. P&s;alme: <HI>For if an open enemy or aduer&s;ary had di&s;honoured, or magnified him&s;elfe again&s;t me, I could perchance haue borne it, at lea&s;t hid my &s;elfe from him:</HI> but when they that profe&s;&s;e <HI>religion,</HI> and <HI>fidelity,</HI> &s;hall proue the vile&s;t mi&s;creants, this is that the earth will groane to beare; and heauen will not &s;uffer vnre|uenged. Now if euer there were a <HI>generation</HI> of <HI>vipers,</HI> that vnnaturally make their pa&s;&s;age to light, thorow their <HI>mothers bowels;</HI> our treache|rous <HI>fugitiues,</HI> and home-bred <HI>Papi&s;ts,</HI> may mo&s;t iu&s;tly be e&s;teemed &s;uch, whom no <HI>benefits</HI> can winne, no <HI>allegiance</HI> binde, no <HI>hazzard</HI> deterre from attempting (on the lea&s;t aduantage) the vt|ter ouerthrow of their Prince, and Countrey. I need not to goe beyond &s;ea for in&s;tances. Were they euer quiet in <HI>Queene Elizabeth's</HI> dayes? or hath the mercy of our gracious <HI>Soueraigne</HI> (whom God &s;o miraculou&s;ly hath &s;o often freed from their villany) wrought in them any remor&s;e of con&s;cience? No &s;urely (Beloued,) for &s;eeing the <HI>Pope</HI> him&s;elfe hath mounted to this height, onely by &s;uch trea&s;onable practices again&s;t his owne Prince and others; when they hold &s;uch grounds in their <HI>Schooles,</HI> that the <HI>Pope</HI> may loo&s;e, and <HI>make voyde</HI> the <HI>oath of allegiance</HI> that &s;ubiects haue ta|ken
<PB N="12" REF="99"> to their lawfull Princes: that vpon a pretence they are falne from the <HI>Church,</HI> and are turned <HI>heretiques;</HI> hee may depo&s;e them from their <HI>Thrones,</HI> and di&s;po&s;e their kingdomes to others; that the <HI>excommunicated,</HI> or <HI>depo&s;ed,</HI> in &s;uch a ca&s;e, may be lawfully <HI>murdred</HI> by their <HI>&s;ubiects,</HI> and the children for euer di&s;inherited, though no way in|uolued in the <HI>Fathers fault;</HI> that &s;uch powder-plots vndergone for the &s;ea of <HI>Rome,</HI> are &s;o farre from <HI>trea&s;ons,</HI> that they are iu&s;tly termed <HI>martyr|dome,</HI> and often are rewarded with <HI>canonization,</HI> or the like. What hope (I &s;ay) may remaine that &s;uch, &s;o bred, &s;o taught, &s;o beleeuing, will euer proue Loyall? When they confe&s;&s;e their poore <HI>conformitie,</HI> they yeeld for the time, to be for <HI>want</HI> of &s;trength, which &s;hould &s;oone appeare in other colours, if <HI>Sheba's aduantage</HI> were once giuen: The more it &s;tands <HI>good Subiects</HI> vpon, to be &s;oli|citous, and watchfull for their Princes &s;afetie. <HI>Nets,</HI> and <HI>&s;nares,</HI> and <HI>ginnes,</HI> and <HI>pits,</HI> and <HI>traps,</HI> were not onely layd for <HI>Dauid,</HI> but are renewed daily, again&s;t &s;uch religious Princes, as make con&s;cience to treade in <HI>Dauids</HI> foot&s;teps. And to what &s;hall we attribute the miraculous e&s;capes of our Religious <HI>Soueraigne,</HI> with the confu&s;ion of their enginers? hath there bene any <HI>circum|&s;pection</HI> v&s;ed extraordinary? or <HI>retyredne&s;&s;e,</HI> for preuention? or a <HI>guard,</HI> to keep off? or new law to cut off al &s;uch fal&s;-hearted <HI>Sheba's,</HI> who may <HI>happe~</HI> to be <HI>among&s;t vs,</HI> to doe a mi&s;chiefe? The world &s;eeth, that with vs it is farre otherwi&s;e. It is there|fore onely <HI>Gods</HI> extraordinary <HI>protection,</HI> that
<PB N="13" REF="99"> hath hitherto freed him from &s;uch apparant, and remedile&s;&s;e dangers. The <HI>Gowries</HI> had di&s;patched him; <HI>Wat&s;on</HI> and his complices had &s;urpri&s;ed him; the <HI>Powderplot</HI> had blowne vp him and all his, if this mercy of God onely had not preuented the <HI>diuels malice,</HI> and our <HI>&s;ecuritie.</HI> O then how &s;hould this &s;tirre vs vp, to commence our &s;uites to the &s;ame Protectour, for the continuance of his fauours in this behalfe! For let vs depend vpon it (Beloued) as long as there is a <HI>Pope,</HI> and <HI>deuill;</HI> Princes profe&s;&s;ing the Go&s;pel, &s;hall neuer bee &s;ecured from <HI>Gowries</HI> and <HI>Garnets.</HI> Some <HI>malecontents</HI> will lurke in the throng, among <HI>bet|ter-affected</HI> &s;ubiects, who haue &s;wallowed a mor|&s;ell either of <HI>ambition,</HI> with <HI>Ab&s;alom,</HI> or of <HI>reuenge,</HI> with <HI>Bigthan,</HI> and <HI>Tere&s;h,</HI> or of <HI>couetou&s;ne&s;&s;e,</HI> with <HI>Iudas,</HI> or out of an old <HI>grudge,</HI> with <HI>Sheba</HI> will bee houering for their <HI>aduantage,</HI> who commeth now in the next place to be <HI>per&s;onally indited,</HI> and ar|raigned by name for a <HI>traytour.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. <HI>A man of Belial, who&s;e name was Sheba, the &s;onne of Bichri, a Beniamite]</HI> The traytour here is deciphered by foure notable circum&s;tances: Fir&s;t, by the <HI>character,</HI> or <HI>badge</HI> of his <HI>profe&s;sion,</HI> he was a <HI>man of Belial.</HI> Secondly, by his proper name, who&s;e <HI>name was Sheba.</HI> Thirdly, his <HI>pare~tage</HI> comes in que&s;tion, <HI>the &s;onne of Bichri:</HI> and la&s;tly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Jemini &amp; Ben|iamin idem &s;unt: vel &s;al|tem, temini e|rat magnus Princeps inter Beniamitas: Abulen.</NOTE> is men|tioned his <HI>Tribe,</HI> a <HI>Beniamite,</HI> or (as the originall hath it in the &s;ame &s;en&s;e, as <HI>Abulen&s;is</HI> &s;heweth) a man of <HI>Iemini.</HI> That which wee tran&s;late to the word, out of the originall, <HI>A man of Belial; Iunius,</HI> renders <HI>Nequam: Ca&s;talio, improbus:</HI> others with
<PB N="14" REF="100"> Saint <HI>Ierome, Vir &s;ine iugo di&s;ciplinae,</HI> an <HI>Apo&s;tata,</HI> that would not conforme him&s;elfe to any good order: With which accord the <HI>Greeke;</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, &s;ay the 72. <GAP DESC="foreign">, &s;ay others: all which ioyned together, &s;carce expre&s;&s;e the thing, hee being a <HI>lewd, vngodly, di&s;&s;olute, pe&s;tilent &s;onne of the Deuill,</HI> which could <HI>endure no law,</HI> or to <HI>liue</HI> within any <HI>compa&s;&s;e,</HI> brother to <HI>Elie's &s;onnes,</HI> 1. Sam. 2. which are thus de&s;cribed in the text, <HI>Now the &s;onnes of E|li were &s;onnes of Belial,</HI> and <HI>they knew not the Lord,</HI> that is (as <HI>Abulen&s;is</HI> glo&s;&s;eth on it) How&s;oeuer they <HI>profe&s;&s;ed</HI> him for a fa&s;hion, yet in heart, and other actions they flatly denyed him. This name <HI>Sheba</HI> in the Hebrew &s;ignifieth <HI>&s;euen,</HI> or the <HI>&s;e|uenth;</HI> perchance becau&s;e hee was the &s;euenth brother, and therefore pre&s;umed further vpon the &s;trength of his family.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Celebris, nobi|lis: O&s;iander.</NOTE> But the &s;ame word &s;ignify|ing al&s;o an <HI>oath,</HI> might as well haue minded him of his <HI>oath</HI> which he had taken to obey his <HI>King,</HI> and was vpon no occa&s;ion to bee violated. That which followes, <HI>The &s;onne of Bichri, Strigelius,</HI> (I know not vpon what ground) would change into <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>vnus &egrave; proceribus,</HI> a <HI>great Noble man,</HI> for birth, meanes, and authoritie. True it is, that <GAP DESC="foreign"> or <GAP DESC="foreign"> which &s;ignify the fir&s;t borne, or the fir&s;t fruites, with a little inflection may be varied to that purpo&s;e; but what need change of the text, if the collection may bee had without it? Farre more pa&s;&s;able is the inference of <HI>Abulen&s;is,</HI> that except he had beene &s;ome great man, he would neuer haue ventured for &s;uch a purpo&s;e, to haue <HI>blowne a trumpet,</HI> and the multitude would rather
<PB N="15" REF="100"> haue &s;layne him outright, then vpon &s;uch a mo|tion, to haue giuen eare vnto him. Well there|fore he may be pre&s;umed to be a man of <HI>eminen|cy,</HI> as <HI>Catiline</HI> among the <HI>Romans,</HI> or <HI>Gowry</HI> a|mong&s;t his countrymen, of greater nobilitie and note, then de&s;ert, or hone&s;ty, which the circum|&s;tance following doth more then intimate; A <HI>Beniamite,</HI> or a man of <HI>Iemini:</HI> for why &s;hould this be added? but (as mo&s;t Interpreters take it) to &s;hew the <HI>ground,</HI> why <HI>Sheba</HI> was &s;o ready to reuolt from <HI>Dauid.</HI> Euer there remained a &s;ting betweene the <HI>Beniamites,</HI> and <HI>Dauid;</HI> e&s;pecially of tho&s;e that were any way kin to <HI>Saul,</HI> for the <HI>tran&s;lating</HI> of the Kingdome from <HI>Saul's</HI> po&s;terity, to <HI>Dauid.</HI> And how&s;oeuer the <HI>expre&s;&s;e di&s;po&s;all</HI> of good was knowne to all I&s;rael in it; yet <HI>malicious</HI> men will take no &s;atisfaction, e&s;pecially where a kingdome is the obiect of their <HI>difference.</HI> So <HI>Shimei,</HI> which reuiled him in the 16. Chapter, is &s;ayd to be of the <HI>family of Saul,</HI> that we might take notice of the <HI>rea&s;on why</HI> he did it. <HI>Dauid</HI> was ea&s;i|ly induced to beleeue <HI>Ziba,</HI> gro&s;ely belying <HI>Mephibo&s;heth,</HI> for a&s;piring by tumult to the kingdome, as hauing experience of the inward grudg, that mo&s;t of <HI>Sauls</HI> family bore him; which here breaking out in <HI>Sheba,</HI> he is tearmed a <HI>Ben|iamite,</HI> to make it the le&s;&s;e &s;trange to them, who de&s;ire to know the rea&s;on. In &s;umme the~, how&s;o|euer the&s;e words may &s;eeme to import nothing further then a bare narration; yet vpon waigh|ing, and laying circum&s;tances together, here appeareth, fir&s;t, the <HI>ground</HI> of trea&s;on, whence
<PB N="16" REF="101"> it generally ari&s;eth: and &s;econdly, the <HI>di&s;grace,</HI> that it nece&s;&s;arily draweth with it. The ground is <HI>twofold;</HI> fir&s;t, a <HI>rotten heart</HI> fully po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed by <HI>Belial;</HI> for no man becomes a <HI>traytour,</HI> that hath any relikes of <HI>grace</HI> in him: The &s;econd ground is mo&s;t commonly <HI>hatred,</HI> accompanied with <HI>ambition,</HI> and <HI>de&s;ire</HI> of <HI>reuenge</HI> for &s;ome wrong receiued. The <HI>di&s;grace</HI> is likewi&s;e <HI>double;</HI> fir&s;t, &s;triking to the <HI>actour</HI> him&s;elfe, that vndertakes &s;o foule a fact; and next, to the <HI>family,</HI> who&s;e <HI>bloud</HI> thereby is <HI>taynted.</HI> All which the text affordeth; <HI>A man of Belial;</HI> behold the <HI>heart corrupted:</HI> a <HI>Beniamite,</HI> there's the <HI>rea&s;on</HI> of the grudge. In like manner the name of <HI>Sheba</HI> chronicleth the <HI>per&s;onall blot:</HI> and the &s;onne of <HI>Bichri,</HI> the <HI>impu|tation</HI> &s;ticking to the <HI>family.</HI> All which, in &s;tead of a <HI>doctrine,</HI> yeeld this e&s;&s;entiall definition of a a traytour: <HI>A traytour is a man of Belial, who to the di&s;grace of him&s;elfe and his whole family, impi|ou&s;ly conceiueth, and rebelliou&s;ly venteth</HI> his <HI>ha|tred</HI> and <HI>di&s;loyalty again&s;t his lawfull Soueraigne.</HI></P>
<P N="7">7. The meane&s;t Logician will here ea&s;ily finde the <HI>genus</HI> to be <GAP DESC="foreign">, a <HI>man of Belial,</HI> and the difference drawne partly, from the proper obiect, his <HI>lawfull Soueraigne,</HI> and partly, from a <HI>nece&s;&s;arie adiunct,</HI> the infamy both of <HI>per&s;on,</HI> and family. The <HI>grounds</HI> whereof are &s;o cleare, that it needes no further illu&s;tration: Proofes there are plentie, if it were my purpo&s;e to v&s;e them: <HI>Cur&s;e not the King, no not in thy thought:</HI> Eccle&s;. 10.20.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Pet. 2. Rom. 13.</NOTE> <HI>But feare God and honour him, not only for wrath, but for con&s;cience &s;ake,</HI> as Saint <HI>Peter and</HI> Saint
<PB N="17" REF="101"> <HI>Paul ioyntly teach vs.</HI> Certaynely he that faulte|reth in his allegiance to <HI>man</HI> the <HI>deputy,</HI> manife&s;t|ly reuolteth from <HI>God,</HI> the <HI>deputer.</HI> And he that &s;haketh off this &s;acred bond of <HI>obedience,</HI> hath fir&s;t re&s;igned <HI>heauen,</HI> and made <HI>&s;hipwracke</HI> of a good <HI>con&s;cience.</HI> I neede not ca&s;t about in this for any further confirmation: the other <HI>particles</HI> in the de|finition are no le&s;&s;e euide~t. For why is <HI>Sheba</HI> here named &s;o preci&s;ely with his <HI>Father</HI> and <HI>Tribe,</HI> but to be left as <HI>Pilate</HI> in our <HI>Creede,</HI> gibbeted vp (as it were a carca&s;e) for dete&s;tation to all po&s;teritie? It was a heauie doome for <HI>Amalek,</HI> to haue his re|membrance to be <HI>vtterly put out from vnder hea|uen,</HI> Exod. 17. as al&s;o for <HI>Ieroboam</HI> and <HI>Baa&s;ha,</HI> to be grubbed vp by the rootes with all their <HI>off|&s;prings.</HI> But the cur&s;e &s;eemes farre more di&s;a&s;|trous, to be remembred with a brand of infamy, and to be <HI>chronicled</HI> with <HI>Bigthan</HI> and <HI>Tere&s;h,</HI> as blots to their name and family. Thus <HI>Iudas</HI> wel|treth in <HI>Aceldama,</HI> and no man pitties him: <HI>Achi|tophel</HI> hangs him&s;elfe &s;o <HI>politikely,</HI> that no man, &s;o much as in conceit, will cut the <HI>halter.</HI> God would not haue the names of &s;uch to putrifie, with their carca&s;es, but po&s;teritie &s;hall euer bee to&s;&s;ing them to their euerla&s;ting infamy. So ge|neral is that of the Wi&s;eman applied particular|ly to an adulterous woman, Ecclus. 23.25. <HI>His children &s;hall take no roote, and her boughes &s;hall bring no fruite. A &s;hamefull report &s;hall &s;hee leaue, and her reproach &s;hall not be put out.</HI> For as the <HI>righteous &s;halbe had in euerla&s;ting remembrance:</HI> their name <HI>&s;hall be called vpon,</HI> that is,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alme. 112. Gen. 48.</NOTE> continu|ed,
<PB N="18" REF="102"> &amp; aduanced in their i&s;&s;ue:<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay. 56. P&s;alme 10.7.</NOTE> nay their <HI>Eunuches, that keepe Gods Sabbaths and plea&s;e him, &s;hall haue a better name then of &s;ons and daughters.</HI> So the name of the <HI>wicked</HI> &s;hall <HI>rot:</HI> It &s;hall be left as a <HI>cur&s;e vn|to Gods cho&s;en,</HI> E&s;ay, 65.15. The &s;innes of their <HI>fa|thers</HI> &s;hall be had in <HI>remembrance,</HI> and the &s;innes of their <HI>mothers &s;hall not be blotted out,</HI> P&s;al. 109.14. So <HI>Ieroboam</HI> is &s;eldome named, but <HI>Nebat</HI> is fetcht in, to beare a part of the reproch and &s;can|dall. Seuen times in this Chapter, mention is made of <HI>Sheba,</HI> and &s;o often the <HI>&s;onne of Bichri is added.</HI> Such a &s;tayne, one fal&s;e <HI>traytour</HI> leaues vpon a whole family. <HI>Vli&s;&s;es</HI> in the Poet, by the light of nature could well vantage his cau&s;e by it: where to iu&s;tifie his owne <HI>pedegree,</HI> and girds at <HI>Aiax,</HI> he could hand&s;omely &s;ay of his ance&s;tours,
<Q>&mdash;Ne&abque; in his qui&s;quam damnatus &amp; exul.</Q> <HI>Trea&s;on</HI> is of a deeper <HI>tincture,</HI> de&s;eruing a <HI>hea|uier doome,</HI> and therefore of all true Chri&s;tians the more earne&s;tly to be dete&s;ted. It &s;hall be needele&s;&s;e to make further application of that which hath beene in this part deliuered, except it would plea&s;e more particularly, fir&s;t, <HI>parents,</HI> hence to be admoni&s;hed, for the bringing vp of their <HI>children</HI> in obedience in their tender yeeres, le&s;t their <HI>after-rebellions</HI> reflect, to the blemi&s;h|ing of their whole <HI>families.</HI> Next, <HI>kinsfolke,</HI> to proclaime &s;uch degenerate, and race them out of their genealogies, that &s;hall &s;o farre linke them|&s;elues with <HI>Belial,</HI> as to be accounted his <HI>children.</HI> La&s;t of all, all &s;orts may iudge how to e&s;teeme of &s;uch, that vnder pretence of <HI>Religion,</HI> &s;ow the &s;eed
<PB N="19" REF="102"> of flat <HI>rebellion,</HI> and learne of <HI>Dauid</HI> a &s;ubiect, how to behaue them&s;elues towards their <HI>Kings,</HI> &s;uch as <HI>Dauid</HI> was, who whe~ he had <HI>Saul</HI> at an aduantage, that again&s;t all right, and <HI>Iu&s;tice</HI> &s;ought his <HI>blood,</HI> and might haue had him &s;layne, but by a words &s;peaking:<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Sam. 26.</NOTE> <HI>As the Lord liueth</HI> (&s;ayth he) the <HI>Lord &s;hall &s;mite him, or his day &s;hall come to dye, or he &s;hall de&s;ce~d into battell and peri&s;h: The Lord forbid that I &s;hould &s;tretch forth mine hand again&s;t the Lords Anoynted.</HI> To which purpo&s;e he had &s;poken to <HI>Abi&s;hai</HI> be|fore, who&s;e fingers itched to &s;mite him, <HI>De&s;troy him not; for who can &s;tretch forth his hand again&s;t the Lords Anoynted,</HI> &amp; be <HI>guiltle&s;&s;e?</HI> In which doc|trine if <HI>Bichri</HI> had well <HI>catechized</HI> his &s;on <HI>Sheba,</HI> it might perchance haue re&s;trayned him from <HI>blow|ing a trumpet,</HI> &amp; &s;tirring rebellion, by &s;uch a dam|ned outcrie, or proclamation, <HI>We haue no part in Dauid, neither haue we inheritance in the &s;on of Ie&s;&s;e; Euery ma~ to his tents, O I&s;rael.</HI> Which is the <HI>trea&s;on</HI> it &s;elfe, the la&s;t member of my text, wherein I will &s;triue to recompence my former tediou&s;ne&s;&s;e.</P>
<P N="8">8. Tho&s;e whom <HI>Belial</HI> once po&s;&s;e&s;&s;eth with <HI>Iudas,</HI> and winnes to bee <HI>traytours,</HI> &s;hall haue coun&s;ell crafty inough &s;ugge&s;ted by the &s;ame ma&s;ter, which in all likelyhood might bring a|bout their <HI>diueli&s;h de&s;ignes.</HI> But he that dwelleth in heauen, hath &s;uch a <HI>hooke</HI> in their <HI>no&s;trels,</HI> that he twines them in and out, as he &s;ees mo&s;t con|uenient: So that commonly their policies &s;tead them no farther then <HI>Achitophels,</HI> by an <HI>orderly di&s;po&s;ing</HI> of all things, to ha&s;ten their &s;hamefull execution. <HI>Sheba</HI> here is not to &s;eeke for the ma|naging
<PB N="20" REF="103"> of matters to his be&s;t aduantage. Where|fore fir&s;t hee <HI>blowes a trumpet,</HI> the vnexpected &s;ound of which, in &s;o clamorous a <HI>tumult,</HI> and <HI>bickerings</HI> (as was formerly &s;hewed to bee be|tweene <HI>I&s;rael</HI> and <HI>Iudah</HI>) was the onely meanes to procure him <HI>audience.</HI> That being once gotten, he pre&s;ently falls to a forcible <HI>per&s;wa&s;ion,</HI> &s;orting it to the exa&s;perated pa&s;&s;ions of the men of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> which notwith&s;tanding he groundeth vpon the har&s;h &s;peeches v&s;ed by the men of <HI>Iudah.</HI> This cannot be better vnder&s;tood, then by reflecting our eyes to the 3. la&s;t ver&s;es of the former Chap|ter. <HI>Dauid</HI> being freed from <HI>Ab&s;alom,</HI> is to bee brought backe by his &s;ubiects with honour vnto <HI>Ieru&s;alem.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cap. 19.11, 12.</NOTE> Now he had &s;ecretly &s;ent to the men of <HI>Iudah,</HI> that they &s;hould be the formo&s;t. The other <HI>Tribes,</HI> in an <HI>officious emulation,</HI> take this vnkindly, and thereupon expo&s;tulate with the <HI>King, Why haue our brethren, the men of Iuda, &s;tolne thee away?</HI> Doe they not thinke that we are as faythfull &s;ubiects, and affect our <HI>Soueraigne,</HI> as well as they? They of <HI>Iudah</HI> reply, The <HI>King</HI> is neere kin to vs, and in that re&s;pect we challenge a preeminence. Yea, (&s;ay the <HI>I&s;raelites</HI>) haue not we <HI>ten parts</HI> in him, and in that re&s;pect more right? why then did <HI>ye de&s;pi&s;e</HI> vs, <HI>that our aduice &s;hould not be fir&s;t had in bringing backe our King.</HI> How the men of <HI>Iudah</HI> put this off, the text men|tioneth not, onely it followeth <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>harder or fier|cer</HI> were the words of the men of <HI>Iudah,</HI> then the words of the men of <HI>I&s;rael:</HI> It might be, they v&s;ed &s;ome opprobrious &s;peeches, which the <HI>I&s;raelites</HI>
<PB N="21" REF="103"> being great in number, thought very di&s;gracefull to endure: Where the King holding it not &s;afe to interpo&s;e, he being &s;o lately &s;haken, and the humours not throughly &s;ettled. In comes this <HI>Sheba</HI> vpon the nicke, and &s;ets all againe in a combu&s;tion. Doe the men of <HI>Iudah</HI> (&s;ayth he) thinke &s;o ba&s;ely of vs, as though we being <HI>ten</HI> to <HI>one,</HI> mu&s;t giue way to them? Can not we make good our owne parts, without dependance on them for <HI>King,</HI> or coun&s;ell? &s;eeing they &s;o arro|gantly &s;tand vpon, that <HI>Dauid</HI> is their <HI>Kin&s;man,</HI> and therefore wholly theirs by <HI>inheritance,</HI> &s;o that our intere&s;t in him is a farre off, or none at all: let vs leaue him to them, and let them know, that whole <HI>I&s;rael</HI> hath as fit men to raigne, as that one Tribe of <HI>Iudah:</HI> for what part may we challenge in him, who is wholly for his own <HI>kinred?</HI> &amp; what was <HI>I&s;hai</HI> his father? was he not an ob&s;cure ma~ yon|der at <HI>Bethlem Ephrata,</HI> and this <HI>Dauid</HI> his &s;hep|heard? &s;hall we then, better de&s;cended, continue to bee his va&s;&s;als, as though the father had beene King, and the man &s;ucceeded as his lawfull heire apparent? <HI>Iudah</HI> tells vs we haue no part in <HI>Dauid,</HI> and we know that the kingdome of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> was not <HI>I&s;hai's &s;onnes</HI> Inheritance. <HI>Euery man therefore to his tents, O I&s;rael,</HI> and &s;tand vpon his owne guard: we &s;hall quickly prouide for our &s;elues, without being beholding to them. And to this &s;ence mo&s;t Interpreters doe paraphra&s;e <HI>Sheba's</HI> &s;editious &s;peeches: from the drift of which, and effect, we may deduce this ob&s;eruation, <HI>That there is not a more dangerous inducement to damna|ble
<PB N="22" REF="104"> Rebellion, and Trea&s;on, then to bee po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed with a conceite, that a lawfull King, and his liege people, may be in any ca&s;e parted;</HI> or, <HI>that kingdomes are from the peoples choyce,</HI> and <HI>not from Gods appoyntment made hereditary.</HI></P>
<P N="9">9. This le&s;&s;on of <HI>Sheba</HI> here fir&s;t propo&s;ed to malecontents, tho&s;e men of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> afterward in <HI>Rehoboams</HI> time had gotten by heart, and there|fore when their young King an&s;wered them not according to their mind, in the matter of <HI>taxes</HI> and <HI>&s;ub&s;idies,</HI> which wicked <HI>Ieroboam</HI> had &s;et on foote, euery one had ready at his tongues end, 1. Kings, 12.16. <HI>What portion haue we in Dauid, or what inheritance haue we in the &s;onne of Ie&s;&s;e? To thy tents, O I&s;rael: Now &s;ee to thine owne hou&s;e, Dauid.</HI> But had the&s;e men but remembred &s;o well, that which their wi&s;e <HI>King Salomon,</HI> long after <HI>Sheba's</HI> de&s;truction, had left them for a better direction, Prouerbes 8. (where hee bringeth in the wi&s;e|dome of the mo&s;t High thus proclaiming, <HI>By me Kings raigne, and Princes decree Iu&s;tice: By me Prin|ces rule, and Nobles, euen all the Iudges of the earth:</HI>) they might haue found, that the bond of obedi|ence to <HI>Princes,</HI> is not &s;o loo&s;ely knit by God, that &s;ubiects may di&s;&s;olue it at their plea&s;ure, or vpon any di&s;content, or iniury, what&s;oeuer cry, <HI>We haue no part,</HI> and renounce our <HI>inheritance.</HI> For as a head neuer &s;o rhumatike, and the <HI>fountaine</HI> of all <HI>di&s;ea&s;es</HI> in the re&s;t of the members, may not bee therefore parted from them, for feare of a wor&s;e inconuenience, neither can the members vp|brayd it, (as the <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> and <HI>Nature</HI> teach vs)
<PB N="23" REF="104"> with the&s;e contemptuous termes, <HI>I haue no need of thee:</HI> So the head in the body politique, mu&s;t keepe his place how&s;oeuer, till <HI>that</HI> highe&s;t autho|ritie take it off, who fir&s;t &s;et it on, to change it for a better. The more pernitious in reformed States and Common-wealths, is the wicked band of <HI>An|tichri&s;t,</HI> who take vpon them to <HI>&s;euer</HI> tho&s;e, whom God hath &s;o linked together, where fin|ding it too hard a taske again&s;t con&s;cience and nature, to per&s;wade the <HI>the&s;is,</HI> That &s;ubiects may rebell again&s;t tho&s;e, whom God hath aduanced to be their lawfull Kings; they come in with the <HI>hypothe&s;is,</HI> to inueigle the weake or malecon|tents, that Kings <HI>excommunicated</HI> by the <HI>Pope,</HI> are <HI>deue&s;ted</HI> of that dignity, as <HI>Sam&s;on</HI> was of his &s;trength by the &s;hauing of <HI>Dalilah;</HI> and therefore they may be dealt with, <HI>as other men,</HI> who are publike enemies to Chri&s;tianity. Thus they cea&s;e not mo&s;t diueli&s;hly to &s;pread in their &s;laun|derous <HI>pamphlets,</HI> virulent <HI>libels,</HI> and &s;ecret <HI>whi&s;pe|rings,</HI> which mu&s;t goe by <HI>tradition</HI> from hand to hand, to mi&s;lead <HI>&s;imple women,</HI> and worke on <HI>de&s;pe|rate</HI> humours, who di&s;contented that all things runne not as they would haue it, a&s;&s;ure them|&s;elues of redre&s;&s;e in any change what&s;oeuer. Now what is this in effect, but to preach on <HI>Sheba's text,</HI> We haue no <HI>part in Dauid,</HI> nor any <HI>inheritance</HI> in the &s;onne of <HI>Ie&s;&s;e?</HI> What other conclu&s;ion doe they driue at in all their <HI>Volumes,</HI> again&s;t the Kings Supremacy and &s;ubiects Oath of allegi|ance, but to make their followers conceit, that they haue no part in <HI>King Iames,</HI> nor any <HI>inheri|tance</HI>
<PB N="24" REF="105"> in the lawfull Succe&s;&s;our of ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Queene Elizabeth?</HI> This doctrine (it &s;hould &s;eeme) the <HI>Earle Gowrie</HI> had learned, and brought from <HI>Italy,</HI> who in many things may be paraleld with <HI>Sheba,</HI> to make vp the conclu&s;ion.</P>
<P N="10">10. As <HI>Sheba</HI> was <HI>vnus ex proceribus,</HI> accor|ding to <HI>Strigelius, Nobilis</HI> and <HI>celebris,</HI> &s;aith <HI>O&s;ian|der,</HI> nobly and honourably <HI>de&s;cended;</HI> &s;o was <HI>Gowrie. Sheba</HI> liued in place of <HI>note,</HI> and <HI>credit,</HI> among&s;t tho&s;e of his <HI>Tribe</HI> and <HI>Countrey: Gowrie</HI> herein was not much inferiour. There neuer ap|peared other then good corre&s;pondence before, betweene <HI>Sheba,</HI> and King <HI>Dauid:</HI> the like was betweene <HI>Gowrie,</HI> and our <HI>Soueraigne.</HI> For after the iu&s;t execution of his father, in his <HI>Maie&s;ties minoritie,</HI> he re&s;tored (this traytour his &s;onne) his <HI>lands</HI> and <HI>dignities,</HI> aduanced two or three of his <HI>Si&s;ters</HI> to waite on the <HI>Queene</HI> in her priuie <HI>cham|ber,</HI> v&s;ed that wretch <HI>Alexander</HI> graciou&s;ly, who &s;o wretchedly was the chiefe actour in the plot. But fauours rather exa&s;perate, then winne, where a poy&s;oned heart turnes all to the wor&s;t. For as <HI>Sheba</HI> (as it &s;hould &s;eeme) euer bore a &s;ecret grudge to <HI>Dauid,</HI> for a wrong conceiued, offered to the hou&s;e of <HI>Saul:</HI> So did <HI>Gowrie</HI> to the King, for the death of his Father. Thus both played the <HI>hypocrites,</HI> both watched but the opportunity, both violently tooke it being offered, both at|tempted, and both by the prouidence of the <HI>King</HI> of <HI>Kings</HI> were wonderfully defeated. <HI>Sheba</HI> is &s;et downe in my text to be <GAP DESC="foreign"> a di&s;&s;olute &s;onne of <HI>Belial,</HI> moulded in gall and venome, without
<PB N="25" REF="105"> con&s;cience to vndertake any villany. And what can we make better of <HI>Gowrie,</HI> a meere <HI>Athei&s;t,</HI> without any &s;en&s;e or touch of Religion, as <HI>Sprott</HI> afterward confe&s;&s;ed at his <HI>arraignement</HI> 1608? his complices, <HI>Ra&s;htiltaig,</HI> and <HI>Bowre,</HI> of the &s;ame &s;tampe: his recour&s;e to <HI>Necromancers,</HI> and <HI>In|chanted characters</HI> found at his death about him, te&s;tify no le&s;&s;e. So that <HI>Sheba</HI> here comes be|hind him (for ought wee finde) as being not lin|ked to <HI>Belial</HI> in &s;o firme a band. La&s;t of all, as <HI>Sheba</HI> &s;ped afterward, &s;o <HI>Gowrie</HI> had his due, at the fir&s;t on&s;et, <HI>King Iames</HI> being deliuered, (as <HI>Da|uid,</HI>) to magnifie the Deliuerer in the imitation of <HI>Dauid,</HI> which he there did pre&s;ently vpon his knees, in the mid&s;t of his owne &s;eruants, they all kneeling round about him in the place of his de|liuerie, and hath celebrated this day euer &s;ince, for a <HI>thankefull remembrance.</HI> And now (Beloued) what remayneth for vs, but to vnite our hearts and prayers in a <HI>thankefull congratulation?</HI> Dauid will well help vs to expre&s;&s;e our &s;elues, as in mo&s;t of his P&s;almes of thanke&s;giuing, &s;o mo&s;t com|pendiou&s;ly, for this purpo&s;e, in the 21. <HI>The King &s;hall reioyce in thy &s;trength, O Lord, exceeding glad &s;hall he be of thy &s;aluation. His honour is great in thy &s;aluation, glory and great wor&s;hip &s;halt thou lay vpon him. And why? Becau&s;e the King putteth his tru&s;t in thee, O Lord, and in thy mercy (we tru&s;t) he &s;hall neuer mi&s;carry. Let all his enemies (O Lord) feele thy hand, let thy right hand find out them that hate him. Make them like a fierie ouen in the time of thy wrath: Thou (Lord) &s;halt de&s;troy them in thy di&s;plea|&s;ure,
<PB N="26" REF="106"> and the fire &s;hall con&s;ume them. Their fruit &s;halt thou root out from the earth, and their &s;eed from among the children of men. For they intended mi&s;|chiefe again&s;t thine Anoynted,</HI> and <HI>imagined &s;uch a deuice as they were not able to performe. Therefore ha&s;t thou put them to flight, and the &s;trings of thy bow were made ready again&s;t the faces of them. Be thou therefore exalted</HI> (O Lord) <HI>in thy owne &s;trength, that wee may euer &s;ing, and pray&s;e thy power.</HI> To whom, three per&s;ons in one Deity, <HI>Father, Sonne,</HI> and <HI>Holy Gho&s;t,</HI> bee a&s;cribed all Honor, and Glory, Might, Ma|ie&s;ty, and Dominion both now and euermore. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="106">
<P><HI>Higgaion &amp; Selah:</HI> FOR THE DIS|COVERY OF THE POWDER-PLOT.</P>
<P>A SERMON PREACHED AT S^t. MARIES IN OXFORD, <HI>the fifth of Nouember.</HI></P>
<P>By IOHN PRIDEAVX, Doctor of Di|uinity, <HI>Regius Profe&s;&s;or,</HI> and Rector of <HI>Exceter Colledge.</HI></P>
<P>Imprinted at London by <HI>Felix Kyngston,</HI> for <HI>Iohn Budge,</HI> and are to be &s;old at his &s;hop in Pauls Church-yard, at the &s;igne of the greene Dragon. 1621.</P>
<PB N="26" REF="107">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB REF="107">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="sermon">
<PB REF="108">
<PB N="1" REF="108">
<HEAD>HIGGAION ET SELAH.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>PSALME. 9.19.</HI></BIBL>
<P>The Lord is knowne by the iudgement which hee executeth: the wicked is &s;nared in the workes of his owne hands. Higgaion Selah.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_THere is no man that com|pares the words of my text with the occa&s;ion of this dayes a&s;&s;embly, but will &s;traightway acknowledge the fitne&s;&s;e of this acknow|ledgement, as at all times neuer to bee forgotten, &s;o e&s;pecially vpon this day and occa&s;ion, with an <HI>Higgaion</HI> and <HI>Selah</HI> to be remembred, <HI>The Lord is knowne by the iudgement which hee executeth; the wicked is &s;nared in the worke of his owne hands.</HI> This perchance will receiue the more life, when it &s;hal appeare, that <HI>Dauid</HI> in this whole P&s;alme may well bee made our &s;poke&s;-man, as compo&s;ing it for a celebration of &s;ome extraordinary deliue|rance, and leauing it to the <HI>Church</HI> as a patterne
<PB N="2" REF="109"> for <HI>imitation.</HI> And &s;o much may bee collected from the title it &s;elfe, that in the originall is <GAP DESC="foreign">, which our la&s;t <HI>Tran&s;latours</HI> (as you may &s;ee) frame to the chiefe <HI>Mu&s;ician,</HI> and his in&s;tru|ment; <HI>Iunius,</HI> to the tune of <HI>treble,</HI> or <HI>counter-tenor;</HI> an excellent applying of &s;uch <HI>faculties,</HI> which now mo&s;t commonly are <HI>abu&s;ed.</HI> But others either by <HI>di&s;ioynting</HI> the words, or <HI>&s;trayning</HI> the poynts, or taking vantage of <HI>inuer&s;ion</HI> of <HI>letters,</HI> and diuers <HI>&s;ignifications</HI> of the &s;ame <HI>roote,</HI> (as<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">In hunc locum.</NOTE> <HI>Moller</HI> and <HI>Lo|rinus</HI> at large informe) bring it about either to be a thanke&s;giuing for <HI>Pharaoh's</HI> de&s;truction, and the <HI>fir&s;t borne</HI> of <HI>Egypt,</HI> or <HI>Goliah's</HI> ouerthrow, or <HI>Nabals</HI> fall, or <HI>Hanun's</HI> di&s;comfiture, for abu&s;ing <HI>Dauids me&s;&s;engers;</HI> or according to Saint <HI>Hie|rome,</HI> and <HI>Aquinas,</HI> expre&s;&s;ed in the <HI>vulgar editi|on</HI> out of the <HI>Septuagint, pro occultis filij,</HI> for the di&s;couering and puni&s;hing of the &s;ecret plots of <HI>Ab&s;alom</HI> his &s;onne. For tho&s;e that expound it of <HI>Chri&s;ts Victory</HI> ouer death and Satan, mi&s;take an application, for an interpretation, (as <HI>Burgen&s;is</HI> well taxeth <HI>Lyra:</HI>) And others ob&s;erue not the difference in the <HI>genders,</HI> that would make <GAP DESC="foreign"> to &s;ignifie the <HI>Flouri&s;hing</HI> e&s;tate of the <HI>Church, Iuuentutem candidam,</HI> and &s;o gratifie their mother by a <HI>broken title.</HI> Out of all which <HI>differences,</HI> this <HI>con&s;equent</HI> may be picked for our purpo&s;e, That for any notable deliuerance, either from tyrants, as <HI>Pharao,</HI> or terrible <HI>inuaders,</HI> as <HI>Goliah,</HI> or <HI>chur|li&s;h neighbours,</HI> as <HI>Nabal,</HI> or open <HI>truce-breakers,</HI> as <HI>Hanun,</HI> or bo&s;om <HI>traytors,</HI> as <HI>Ab&s;alom,</HI> the Church is to expre&s;&s;e her ioy and thankefulne&s;&s;e in an ex|traordinarie
<PB N="3" REF="109"> manner, as receyuing herein an ear|ne&s;t, that the time at length &s;hall come, wherein the ouerthrow of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> by the <HI>Lambe,</HI> &s;hall be celebrated in heauen, with euerla&s;ting <HI>Halle|luiah's.</HI> This the <HI>Papists</HI> them&s;elues cannot com|plaine to be wre&s;ted: for whereas we tran&s;late (ac|cording to the Originall) the la&s;t ver&s;e of this P&s;alme; <HI>Put them in feare, O Lord, that the hea|then, or nations, may know them&s;elues to be but men;</HI> they &s;ay according to the <HI>vulgar,</HI> out of the &s;e|uenty <HI>Interpreters,</HI> which<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">In hunc locum.</NOTE> <HI>Bellarmine</HI> takes vpon him to make good; <HI>Appoint (Lord) a Law-giuer ouer them.</HI> And this <HI>Law-giuer,</HI> their <HI>Doway Di|uines</HI> with the <HI>Interlineary glo&s;&s;e,</HI> acknowledged to be <HI>Antichrist; the heathen,</HI> to be men of <HI>heathe|ni&s;h</HI> conditions: <HI>Gentiliter viuentes</HI> (&s;aith the <HI>Glo&s;&s;e.</HI>) So that to make, by way of application, the <HI>Pope,</HI> this <HI>tyrannical law-giuer,</HI> the <HI>Gentiles,</HI> his <HI>&s;edu|ced a&s;&s;a&s;inates,</HI> this <HI>deliuerance,</HI> the <HI>powder-plot,</HI> or a <HI>trea&s;on</HI> of the like <HI>nature,</HI> is but to take the hint, that they them&s;elues haue giuen, and the in&s;i&s;t|ing on a <HI>notorious in&s;tance,</HI> included in the gene|rall. It would &s;et an edge on our deuotions, and excellently direct our meditations, but to take a viewe in the pa&s;&s;age, of our Prophets carriage in the whole <HI>frame</HI> of this <HI>thankesgiuing,</HI> how heartily he begins to vow <HI>pray&s;es,</HI> and <HI>reioycing,</HI> and <HI>&s;inging,</HI> and euery kinde of &s;etting forth <HI>Gods maruellous workes</HI> in this behalfe; how &s;yncerely he acknowledgeth his <HI>iu&s;tice,</HI> his <HI>vprightne&s;&s;e,</HI> his <HI>care</HI> of his Cho&s;en, his <HI>curbing</HI> of the aduer&s;ary. For when he a&s;cendeth his throne, to make <HI>inqui|&s;ition
<PB N="4" REF="110"> for bloud,</HI> out-goe the <HI>names</HI> of the <HI>wicked,</HI> their <HI>de&s;tructions</HI> haue a <HI>period,</HI> downe they <HI>&s;inke</HI> into the <HI>pit, turned</HI> they are into hell, their owne <HI>Lawgiuer</HI> &s;hall play the tyrant, to &s;et them on|ward with a mi&s;chiefe, &s;o that wofull experience at length &s;hall teach them, to <HI>know them&s;elues to be but men,</HI> whereas the innocent on the other|&s;ide, &s;hall bee wonderfully deliuered, to &s;hew forth all <HI>Gods</HI> pray&s;es in the <HI>gates of the daughter of Sion,</HI> and <HI>reioyce</HI> in his <HI>&s;aluation.</HI> Of all which my text is (as it were) the <HI>morall,</HI> comprizing the <HI>pith</HI> of all: <HI>The Lord is knowne by the Iudgement which he executeth; the wicked is &s;nared in the workes of his owne hands; Higgaion Selah.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. The words include in them without for|cing, <HI>three parties,</HI> The <HI>Lord,</HI> the <HI>wicked,</HI> and the <HI>godly,</HI> with their &s;euerall <HI>attributes, Execution, puni&s;hment,</HI> and <HI>triumphing.</HI> Which connected together as they lye, yeelde vnto vs <HI>three poynts,</HI> e&s;pecially at this time to be &s;tood vpon: The
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. <HI>Iudgement of God.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>2. <HI>Succe&s;&s;e of traytours.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>3. <HI>Churches applau&s;e,</HI> both for the one and the other.</ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>The <HI>Iudgement,</HI> knowne, the <HI>&s;ucce&s;&s;e,</HI> fit, the <HI>ap|plau&s;e,</HI> tuned to the <HI>highe&s;t key.</HI> So that in the fir&s;t, wee haue <HI>Gods Iu&s;tice,</HI> in the <HI>&s;econd,</HI> his <HI>Wi&s;|dome;</HI> in the <HI>third,</HI> his <HI>Mercy,</HI> pre&s;ented to our con&s;iderations in a mo&s;t heauenly order. All which, if it plea&s;e to haue in one word, and conceit as an <HI>arraignement,</HI> the <HI>awe</HI> of the <HI>Iudge,</HI> will commaund attention, who fir&s;t takes
<PB N="5" REF="110"> his place to <HI>execute</HI> his authority, in the&s;e words:</P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>The Lord is knowne by the iudgement which he excuteth]</HI> The wonderfull euents which the <HI>ig|norant</HI> attribute to fortune, the <HI>&s;uper&s;titious,</HI> to <HI>Saynts</HI> and <HI>Idoles,</HI> the <HI>politicians,</HI> to their <HI>plots, &s;ome,</HI> to their <HI>owne worth, mo&s;t,</HI> to the <HI>meanes,</HI> and the extraordinary concurrence of <HI>&s;econd cau&s;es,</HI> the <HI>Penmen</HI> of the <HI>Holy Gho&s;t</HI> a&s;cribe euer vnto the Lord: they held it the be&s;t <HI>Analytiques,</HI> to re&s;olue all &s;uch effects into their <HI>fir&s;t principle.</HI> In de&s;cribing of the <HI>like matters</HI> among other wri|ters, you &s;hall finde <HI>Alexander</HI> did this, or <HI>Cae|&s;ar</HI> thus behaued him&s;elfe, <HI>Ne&s;tor</HI> gaue this coun|&s;ell, and &s;uch effects en&s;ued vpon it: But when <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Io&s;huah</HI> handle their weapons more valiantly, then any of the&s;e, <HI>Abiah</HI> and his &s;onne <HI>A&s;a,</HI> ouerthrew greater <HI>forces,</HI> then euer any of the&s;e <HI>incountred. Chu&s;ai,</HI> for coun&s;ell, and <HI>Salomon</HI> for <HI>wi&s;edome,</HI> had neuer their <HI>paralels</HI> among any of the nations. The text mo&s;t com|monly thus expre&s;&s;eth it:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 1.2. and 3. Io&s;h. 10.42.</NOTE> <HI>The Lord deliuered Sihon</HI> and <HI>Og</HI> into the hands of <HI>I&s;rael. I&s;rael</HI> ouercame, becau&s;e <HI>the Lord fought for I&s;rael.</HI> The Lord &s;mot that huge army of a <HI>thou&s;and thou&s;and Ethiopians,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Chro. 14.12.</NOTE> before <HI>I&s;rael</HI> and <HI>Iudah.</HI> And how&s;oeuer <HI>Chu&s;hai</HI> playd his part,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Sam. 17.14. 1. Kings 3.28.</NOTE> yet the <HI>Lord</HI> is &s;ayd to defeat the coun&s;ell of <HI>Achitophel:</HI> and <HI>Salomons</HI> famous deci&s;ion betweene the <HI>two harlots, is &s;ayd to be the wi&s;edome of God.</HI> Such preuention is v&s;ed again&s;t <HI>&s;elfe-conceit,</HI> and <HI>vayne-glorie,</HI> and &s;implicity, in referring <HI>honour</HI> to it's proper obiect, that wee
<PB N="6" REF="111"> &s;hould not a&s;&s;ume to our &s;elues, that which be|longs to him that made vs, but in all &s;uch ble&s;|&s;ings, and fauours, endeuour with all alacrity, that the <HI>Lord may euer be knowne</HI> to be the fir&s;t mouer, and principall effector. Now as the <HI>Lord is knowne to be omnipotent by his workes of creation, mercifull</HI> in our <HI>redemption, infinite, wi&s;e,</HI> and <HI>pro|uident,</HI> in compo&s;ing and di&s;po&s;ing all to his owne glory, and the good of his Church; So his <HI>Iu&s;tice</HI> can bee neuer more con&s;picuous, then by the <HI>iudgement that he executeth</HI>] Men may be often wronged by their <HI>carele&s;&s;e &s;ecurity,</HI> or preuen|ted by <HI>celerity,</HI> or mi&s;taken in the <HI>carriage,</HI> or ouertaken through <HI>ignorance,</HI> or <HI>&s;educed,</HI> by <HI>flatte|ry,</HI> or <HI>deluded,</HI> by <HI>equiuocation,</HI> or perchance <HI>abu|&s;ed,</HI> by <HI>credulity,</HI> or <HI>outfaced,</HI> by <HI>brauery,</HI> or <HI>terri|fyed,</HI> for <HI>feare</HI> of a wor&s;e <HI>inconuenience: But when the Lord ari&s;eth to execute Iudgement, and when his glorie &s;hall appeare, the fiercene&s;&s;e of man &s;hall turne to his pray&s;e, and the fiercene&s;&s;e of them &s;hall he re|frayne.</HI> The drowning of the <HI>old World,</HI> the bur|ning of <HI>Sodom,</HI> the rooting out of &s;o many <HI>nati|ons,</HI> to plant his cho&s;en <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> &s;ufficiently makes in the <HI>execution,</HI> that many things which <HI>e&s;cape,</HI> in this <HI>life,</HI> mans controule, finde at length a <HI>Iudge,</HI> that will be knowne in their puni&s;hment. If <HI>Pharao</HI> will not <HI>know</HI> the <HI>Lord,</HI> at the mouth of his &s;eruants, he &s;hall <HI>feele</HI> him at length to his co&s;t, in the bottome of the <HI>water:</HI> and if <HI>Herod</HI> &s;o forget his <HI>Commi&s;sion,</HI> as to rob God of his ho|nour, &s;uch a <HI>iudgement</HI> may pre&s;ently &s;ei&s;e on him, as to make his chiefe&s;t <HI>flatterers</HI> to loath
<PB N="7" REF="111"> him. All the World almo&s;t is a <HI>mappe</HI> of in&s;tan|ces in this kinde: it were but following of a <HI>com|mon place</HI> to repeat them, and to cloy your Chri&s;tian attention with that you <HI>know.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. <HI>Sent. d.</HI> 18.</NOTE> <HI>Bonauenture</HI> di&s;tingui&s;heth of two &s;orts of <HI>iudgements,</HI> the fir&s;t, in this <HI>World,</HI> which he cals <HI>iudicium Poenitentiae,</HI> inflicted e&s;pecially to draw all to repentance: the &s;econd, in that to come, from which there is no declining. My text dea|leth only with the <HI>fir&s;t,</HI> not as it properly &s;igni|fieth the <HI>di&s;tinct apprehen&s;ion</HI> of an <HI>obiect,</HI> or a true <HI>conclu&s;ion,</HI> from certayne premi&s;es; or a <HI>definitiue &s;entence</HI> according to law, or the authority of the <HI>Iudge</HI> to determine, or <HI>power,</HI> to execute, or the <HI>cau&s;e,</HI> that comes in que&s;tion, or a <HI>cu&s;tome,</HI> that hath gathered &s;trength by long acceptance, or the <HI>Text of Scripture,</HI> that giueth direction how to iudge: vpon which diuers &s;ignifications, <HI>Scotus</HI> and <HI>Illiricus</HI> plentifully inlarge them&s;elues; but by a <HI>metonymie</HI> for the <HI>puni&s;hment,</HI> y^t is inflicted vpon iu&s;t grounds. For herein the <HI>execution</HI> ma|nife&s;teth the <HI>iudgeme~t,</HI> and by this <HI>iudgement</HI> e&s;pe|cially, <HI>the Lord is knowne.</HI> The <HI>cau&s;es</HI> of it, are <HI>&s;in;</HI> the <HI>&s;ubiect,</HI> notorious <HI>offenders;</HI> the effects, gene|rally, <HI>amazement,</HI> &s;pecially, <HI>comfort</HI> to the inno|cent, and horrour to their aduer&s;aries. This the <HI>Lord</HI> taketh vpon him&s;elfe to <HI>execute,</HI> as often as his Mini&s;ters, either for want of <HI>power,</HI> or <HI>courage,</HI> or <HI>information,</HI> are driuen to a &s;tand: and for the&s;e <HI>purpo&s;es</HI> e&s;pecially, that the <HI>Church</HI> might haue a breathing in her continuall combats, and her <HI>per&s;ecutours,</HI> a ta&s;te of the anger that is to
<PB N="8" REF="112"> come. According to the &s;entence of this Iudge|ment, <HI>Corah's</HI> con&s;piracie was plagued by the <HI>earths opening, Ab&s;alom</HI> hanged by the hayre, <HI>Sennacherib</HI> had a <HI>hooke</HI> put into his no&s;trilles; <HI>Ieroboam's, Ahab's,</HI> and <HI>Baa&s;ha's</HI> families, were grubbed vp by the rootes, for their trea&s;ons, and idolatrie. And as old <HI>Babylon's</HI> &s;tately Palaces were turned to di&s;con&s;olate habitations, for <HI>Zijm</HI> and <HI>Ohim:</HI> &s;o new Babylon's redoubled abomi|nations mu&s;t looke for no better i&s;&s;ue: For though &s;hee haue a long time ray&s;ed mi&s;ts, to dazle the eyes of her followers, the <HI>Scriptures</HI> haue beene lockt vp in an <HI>vnknowne tongue, Idoles,</HI> and heatheni&s;h <HI>ceremonies,</HI> obtruded in &s;tead of <HI>preaching,</HI> implicite <HI>fayth,</HI> for playne <HI>catechizing,</HI> Princes, terrified with the <HI>bug-beares</HI> of <HI>briefes,</HI> and <HI>bulls</HI> and <HI>excommunications,</HI> traytours, ho|noured with <HI>martyredome,</HI> all <HI>villanies</HI> iu&s;tified, vnder the maske of zeale, and <HI>ignorance</HI> commen|ded, as the <HI>mother of deuotion:</HI> Yet the Lord will euer be <HI>knowne by the Iudgements which he execu|teth,</HI> when <HI>&s;hee commeth in remembrance before God, to giue her the cup of the wine of the fiercene&s;&s;e of his wrath:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Reu. 18.</NOTE> <HI>as a mil-&s;tone throwne into the bottome of the &s;ea,</HI> &s;o &s;hall &s;hee <HI>&s;inke downe into the pit of de&s;truction.</HI> In an <HI>houre</HI> &s;hall her <HI>Iudgement</HI> come vpon her, the <HI>Kings</HI> of the earth, and <HI>Merchants,</HI> &s;hall take notice of it, with <HI>wayling</HI> and <HI>ala&s;&s;e,</HI> and the Saynts with a double <HI>Halleluiah,</HI> whiles her <HI>&s;moke ari&s;eth</HI> vp for euer and euer.</P>
<P N="5">5. This doctrine of <HI>Gods Iudgements,</HI> &s;o playn|ly deliuered in his Word, &s;o effectually vrged,
<PB N="9" REF="112"> and &s;o often repeated, vpon any notable occa&s;ion; as it &s;hould &s;trike a <HI>terrour</HI> into the wicked, not to <HI>kicke again&s;t prickes;</HI> &s;o &s;hould it animate the god|ly in all extremities, with the a&s;&s;ured depen|dence vpon a happy i&s;&s;ue. But ala&s;&s;e (Beloued) the&s;e things &s;ticke with vs mo&s;t commonly, no longer then they are in acting. <HI>Three impediments</HI> may be ob&s;erued aboue the re&s;t, which fru&s;trate in diuers the good v&s;e of this doctrine, <HI>Contempt, neglect,</HI> and <HI>mis-interpretation</HI> by &s;oothing our &s;elues in our owne cour&s;es, and turning the &s;treame of <HI>Gods Iudgeme~ts</HI> another way. Of the fir&s;t humour are tho&s;e, which our Prophet de&s;cribeth in the next P&s;alm: <HI>The vngodly is &s;o proud, that he ca|reth not for God, neither is God in all his thoughts; His wayes are alwayes grieuous, thy iudgements are farre aboue out of his &s;ight, and therefore hee puffs at all his enemies.</HI> If you vrge vnto the <HI>like Iudgements,</HI> executed vpon others for the &s;ame offences, his contemptuous an&s;were is ready, <HI>Thus I &s;hall neuer be ca&s;t downe, there &s;hall no harme happen vnto mee.</HI> This is the re&s;olution of <HI>Antichri&s;t</HI> and his fol|lowers, as mo&s;t Interpreters with Saint <HI>Ierome</HI> and Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> note vpon that place. <HI>Iudge|ments</HI> neuer &s;o knowne, <HI>executions</HI> neuer &s;o eui|dent, &s;hall no way deterre them from their dam|nable proiects. But this is the greate&s;t <HI>iudgement</HI> of all,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Epi&s;t.</HI> 55.</NOTE> (as Saint <HI>Cyprian</HI> well ob&s;erueth) <HI>Non in|telligere delicta, ne &s;equatur poenitentia; not to take notice of our faults, le&s;t repentance &s;hould thereupon follow.</HI> Secondly, the <HI>neglect</HI> of <HI>Gods Iudgements</HI> appeareth in tho&s;e men, who are truely affected
<PB N="10" REF="113"> at the <HI>fir&s;t,</HI> but as a pang, tis quickly pa&s;t ouer, and as <HI>newes,</HI> it &s;oone growes out of <HI>date. Pharao</HI> was no &s;ooner quitted from one plague, but pre|&s;ently his <HI>heart was hardned,</HI> to draw on another: and the <HI>I&s;raelites</HI> that were &s;o much affrighted at the horrible end of <HI>Corah, Dathan,</HI> and <HI>Abiram,</HI> euen the morrow after fell vpon <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aa|ron,</HI> &amp; vpbrayded them for killing <HI>of the people of God;</HI> &s;uch &s;mal <HI>impre&s;sion</HI> is left on vs by the <HI>&s;tripes</HI> of others. Birds and other brute bea&s;ts, mo&s;t commonly auoid that place where they are &s;en&s;i|ble by a token that their fellowes haue mi&s;carri|ed: but we looke on others <HI>iudgements,</HI> as furni&s;h|ed with a <HI>&s;uper&s;edeas</HI> from all <HI>arre&s;ts,</HI> and argue from their puni&s;hments how well they haue de|&s;erued, without the lea&s;t reflex vpon our owne <HI>mutable condition.</HI> A third &s;ort play with &s;uch examples, and &s;hift off the application from them&s;elues. The&s;e will rather a&s;cribe <HI>Noahs</HI> flood, to an extraordinary a&s;pect or concour&s;e of <HI>watry planets,</HI> or the drowning of <HI>Pharao's ho&s;t,</HI> to the incon&s;iderate venturing vpon an <HI>high tide,</HI> ra|ther then to Gods wrath for &s;inne, who &s;endeth &s;uch <HI>iudgements</HI> on &s;ome, to make all the re&s;t a|fraide. So our <HI>Italianated fugitiues</HI> pa&s;&s;e ouer the powder-plot, by terming it onely the <HI>ra&s;h attempt</HI> of a few poore <HI>vnfortunate Gentlemen;</HI> by means whereof, their <HI>pro&s;elytes;</HI> are hardened to the like cour&s;es; whereas &s;uch terrible <HI>iudgements</HI> &s;hould teach them to <HI>know the Lord:</HI> and <HI>executions</HI> make them &s;en&s;ible,<NOTE PLACE="marg">De Ciuit. Dei, lib. <HI>2.</HI> cap. <HI>33.</HI></NOTE> how de&s;perately they are &s;e|duced. But <HI>perdidi&s;tis vtilitatem calamitatis</HI> (as
<PB N="11" REF="113"> Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> iu&s;tly vpbraideth the <HI>Pagans) mi&s;eri facti e&s;tis, &amp; pe&s;simi perman&s;i&s;tis.</HI> Where|fore &s;hould ye be &s;mitten any more? <HI>The whole head is &s;icke,</HI> and <HI>the heart is faynt.</HI> Tho&s;e that con|tend &s;o much for a <HI>Iudge</HI> of the <HI>controuer&s;ies</HI> betweene them and vs; why ob&s;erue they not out of Gods <HI>Iudgements,</HI> which &s;ide the <HI>Lord</HI> fa|uoureth? Haue any of their damnable proiects by <HI>Summeruile, Parry, Babington,</HI> and his com|plices, <HI>Lopez</HI> and his <HI>abettours, Campion, Par&s;ons,</HI> and their adherents, taken any expected &s;ucce&s;&s;e? Haue the <HI>Popes bulls</HI> and <HI>cur&s;es</HI> wrought any &s;trange effects? Haue <HI>Wat&s;on</HI> and the <HI>Powder-miners</HI> attayned to the end they &s;ought after? If God then haue euer defeated &s;uch <HI>malicious de&s;ignes,</HI> and &s;hewed by his <HI>Iudgements</HI> vpon the actours, how much he dete&s;teth &s;uch practices; they might well gather, that their cour&s;es are not warrantable, or that (as &s;ome of them in <HI>indig|nation</HI> haue blundred out) the Iudge of all the <HI>World</HI> is become a <HI>Lutherane.</HI> For what vertue haue they euer found in their <HI>Agnus Dei's, Medals</HI> or <HI>&s;uper&s;titious reliques,</HI> to make their plots &s;uc|ce&s;&s;efull? or truth, in the promi&s;es of their <HI>gho&s;tly Fathers?</HI> May they not ea&s;ily perceiue them|&s;elues to bee made the mi&s;erable <HI>in&s;truments</HI> of <HI>Antichri&s;ts</HI> ambition, who <HI>&s;ells</HI> the <HI>&s;oules</HI> of <HI>men,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Apoc. 9.</NOTE> to buy him&s;elfe reputation? If we are &s;uch <HI>damnable heretiques,</HI> as they would make vs, how comes it about that the <HI>Lord</HI> &s;o takes our part? Is it po&s;&s;i|ble, their doctrine, that is &s;o <HI>Catholique,</HI> or tho&s;e <HI>Catholiques,</HI> that are guided by an <HI>infallible head,</HI>
<PB N="12" REF="114"> &s;hould venture &s;o farre, and attayne &s;o little? pro|fe&s;&s;e &s;uch <HI>infallibility,</HI> and be &s;o often deceiued? If men were not drunke with the wine of <HI>Sodome,</HI> or nur&s;ed with the <HI>blood</HI> of <HI>Dragons,</HI> or &s;teeped in the <HI>gall</HI> of <HI>bitterne&s;&s;e,</HI> &s;uch palpable tokens of Gods <HI>Iudgements</HI> &s;o directly again&s;t their proceedings, &s;o mainly in fauor of their oppo&s;ites, might breed at lea&s;t a &s;u&s;pition that &s;omething is ami&s;&s;e, and returne them to a &s;erious examination, to know where the fault re&s;teth. But <HI>Leopards change</HI> not their <HI>&s;pots,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Apoc. 9.</NOTE> <HI>deafe Adders</HI> heare no <HI>charming. Trum|pets</HI> may be &s;ounded out again&s;t them, and <HI>vialls</HI> powred out vpon them, yet their <HI>Idols</HI> &s;hall not be <HI>left,</HI> nor their <HI>&s;orceries, thefts,</HI> or <HI>fornications</HI> a|bandoned. Being <HI>&s;corched</HI> with the Sunne-&s;hine of <HI>Gods Word,</HI> in &s;tead of repe~tance, they turne to <HI>bla&s;pheme:</HI> and when <HI>Egyptian darkene&s;&s;e</HI> hath no|toriou&s;ly inuironed the <HI>&s;eat</HI> of the <HI>Bea&s;t,</HI> they will rather <HI>gnaw their tongues</HI> for payne, then acknow|ledge Gods arre&s;t that &s;eizeth vpo~ their <HI>Abaddon.</HI> But <HI>behold, all yee that kindle a fire</HI> (&s;aith the Lord by the Prophet <HI>I&s;aiah) and that compa&s;&s;e your &s;elues about with &s;parkes;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 50.</NOTE> <HI>walke in the light of your fire, and in the &s;parkes that ye haue kindled:</HI> but <HI>this &s;hall ye haue of my hand, yee &s;hall lye downe in &s;orrow:</HI> the &s;nare that ye layd for others, &s;hall intrap your &s;elues, which is the <HI>&s;ucce&s;&s;e</HI> of the wicked, and comes in the next place to be con&s;idered.</P>
<P N="6">6. <HI>The wicked is &s;nared in the workes of his owne hands.]</HI> As before, the <HI>Iu&s;tice</HI> of God appeared in the execution of his <HI>Iudgements;</HI> &s;o his <HI>Wi&s;edome</HI> here may be ob&s;erued in the manner of puni&s;h|ment.
<PB N="13" REF="114"> <HI>The wicked]</HI> not &s;imply <GAP DESC="foreign">, as the Se|uenty: or generally <HI>peccator,</HI> a <HI>&s;inner</HI> or an <HI>offender,</HI> as the <HI>vulgar:</HI> but <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>impius, improbus, irrequie|tus, vagus,</HI> as the root in the Originall will beare; <HI>vngodly, lewd, turbulent, wauering, irreligious</HI> to|ward God, <HI>debo&s;ht</HI> in manners, <HI>turbulent</HI> in the Common-wealth, <HI>vn&s;ettled</HI> in all things. Such a one is <HI>&s;nared</HI>] as a fellow that digges <HI>a pit,</HI> and <HI>falls him&s;elfe into the mid&s;t of it</HI> (for &s;o the &s;imilitude runnes in the former ver&s;es, and Interpreters a|right apply it.) Or as one that prouideth <HI>powder</HI> to doe a mi&s;chiefe, and him&s;elfe is <HI>blowne</HI> vp with it, &s;o they are plagued, &s;o they are payd home in their owne inuentions. And this is a <HI>plot,</HI> a <HI>worke,</HI> a <HI>matter</HI> of <HI>payne,</HI> and <HI>charge,</HI> and a <HI>vexation</HI> vnto them, not begun or continued by others, but con|triued by their <HI>owne hands.</HI> A wonderfull iudge|ment of God to inform his <HI>Cho&s;en,</HI> that his Wi&s;|dome di&s;po&s;eth all for their good; and a terrour to the <HI>wicked,</HI> to daunt them in the like proiects, and make others take heed by their example. This the heathen them&s;elues haue ob&s;erued, <GAP DESC="foreign">. Chiliads of their pro|uerbs te&s;tifie &s;o much; <GAP DESC="foreign">, Thou ha&s;t playd the <HI>Politician,</HI> to <HI>vndoe thy &s;elfe.</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, buzzing as a <HI>Flye</HI> about the <HI>candle,</HI> to &s;indge his owne <HI>wings.</HI> So in the Scripture <HI>Adoni|bezek</HI> confe&s;&s;eth, <HI>Three&s;core and ten kings hauing their thumbes and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat vnder my table; as I haue done, &s;o God hath requited me,</HI> Iudges 1.7. <HI>Pharao</HI> tooke an or|der for the making away of the <HI>Hebrew Infants;</HI>
<PB N="14" REF="115"> and was requited at length with the death of his <HI>fir&s;t-borne. Hamans gallowes</HI> &s;et vp to hang <HI>Morde|cai,</HI> &s;erued for his owne &s;trangling. <HI>Herod</HI> &s;lew the <HI>infants</HI> of <HI>Bethlem,</HI> and was puni&s;hed in the end, by murdering of his owne children. When <HI>Hildebrand</HI> had &s;uborned a villanie to prouide a great &s;tone, to let fall on the head of the <HI>Emperour Fredericke,</HI> as he came to doe his deuotions, ac|cording to his accu&s;tomed maner in the Church of <HI>Saint Mary</HI> of mount <HI>Auentine,</HI> the fellow making more <HI>ha&s;te,</HI> the~ <HI>good &s;peed,</HI> tumbled down with the &s;tone him&s;elfe, and there was broken in pieces by the &s;ame engine, wherewith he treache|rou&s;ly would haue cru&s;hed his Soueraigne. The &s;tory is di&s;tinctly &s;et downe by <HI>Benno</HI> the <HI>Cardinal</HI> in the life of <HI>Gregory</HI> the &s;euenth. And who reads not, how <HI>Alexander</HI> the &s;ixt was poy&s;oned with the &s;ame <HI>liquor</HI> he had prouided to make a|way &s;ome of his <HI>Cardinals?</HI> This mea&s;ure had <HI>A|gag</HI> by <HI>Samuel;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Sam. 15.13.</NOTE> <HI>As thy &s;word hath made women childle&s;&s;e, &s;o &s;hall thy mother be childle&s;&s;e among wo|men.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 137.</NOTE> It was wi&s;hed to old <HI>Babylon, Happy &s;hall he bee that rewardeth thee as thou ha&s;t &s;erued vs:</HI> And mu&s;t befall the <HI>new;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Reue. 18.</NOTE> <HI>Reward her as &s;he hath rewar|ded you, and double vnto her double, according to her workes: in the cup that &s;he hath filled, fill to her dou|ble. How much &s;he hath glorified her &s;elfe and liued delitiou&s;ly, &s;o much torment and &s;orrow giue her.</HI> This cannot bee expre&s;&s;ed in playner tearmes, then our Prophet hath it in the 37. P&s;alme: <HI>The vngodly hath drawne out the &s;word, and bent their bow, to ca&s;t downe the poore and needy, and to &s;lay &s;uch
<PB N="15" REF="115"> as be of a right conuer&s;ation. But their &s;word &s;hall goe thorow their owne heart, and their bow &s;hall be bro|ken.</HI> Which before, more directly to our pur|po&s;e, wee may finde &s;et downe in the &s;euenth P&s;alme, <HI>The vngodly hath grauen and digged a pit, and is falne into the de&s;truction that he made for o|ther. For his trauell &s;hall come vpon his owne head, and his wickedne&s;&s;e &s;hall fall vpon his owne pate.</HI> And did not this &s;howre of <HI>&s;nares,</HI> to the amazement of them&s;elues, and their adherents, by the iu&s;t <HI>iudgement</HI> of God &s;trangely accompany the work of our <HI>powderplotters?</HI> Who knows not, that <HI>Cate&s;|by, Rookwood,</HI> and <HI>Grant,</HI> (the principall actors in that helli&s;h de&s;igne) as they were drying pow|der at <HI>Holbeck</HI> in <HI>Worce&s;ter-&s;hire,</HI> were di&s;figured, and maimed, by the fiering of the &s;ame powder? and not long after how the &s;ame <HI>Catesby,</HI> and <HI>Per|cy</HI> de&s;perately were &s;laine at one <HI>&s;hott,</HI> proceeding from <HI>powder?</HI> So iu&s;tly they were <HI>&s;nared</HI> in the <HI>worke of their owne hands,</HI> that them&s;elues vpon their knees were forced to confe&s;&s;e it. This is regi&s;tred by the hand of a <HI>King,</HI> who had be&s;t meanes to know it, and greate&s;t rea&s;on to relate it, to the terrour and &s;hame of all &s;uch <HI>diuelli&s;h a&s;&s;a&s;inates.</HI> Now let their <HI>Apologi&s;ts</HI> returne from beyond the &s;eas, <HI>grin like a dog,</HI> and put on the impudency to &s;mother it.</P>
<P N="7">7. They will tell vs that their <HI>Catholique doct|rine</HI> in no &s;ort countenanceth it; and the <HI>faults</HI> of &s;ome <HI>malecontents,</HI> are euer to be di&s;tingui&s;hed from the <HI>equity</HI> of the <HI>cau&s;e.</HI> But this is but a gil|ded pill, compounded onely for tho&s;e of their
<PB N="16" REF="116"> owne complection, a &s;ophi&s;me, a &s;hift, an after|reckoning; which is as &s;oone di&s;couered, as their bookes are opened. <HI>We are not &s;uch da&s;tards (&s;ayth Gret&s;er</HI> in his <HI>ve&s;pertilio haeretico-politicus) that wee feare openly to affirme,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Pag.</HI> 159.</NOTE> <HI>that the Pope of Rome may</HI> (if <HI>nece&s;sitie &s;o require) free his Catholique &s;ubiects from their oath of fidelity; if their Soueraigne handle them tyrannically:</HI> &amp; further he ads, If it be done <HI>di&s;creet|ly</HI> and <HI>warily,</HI> it is a <HI>meritorious worke.</HI> But &s;ay now, that <HI>&s;ubiects</HI> &s;hould proceed to <HI>execution,</HI> vpon &s;uch way made by the <HI>Pope,</HI> &s;hould they not (thinke you) therefore bee iu&s;tly <HI>puni&s;hed</HI> as <HI>tray|tours?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Aphoris verbo Clericus.</NOTE> No, &s;ayth <HI>Emanuel Sa.</HI> e&s;pecially <HI>if they be of the Clergy: for the rebellion of a Clarke again&s;t a King, is no trea&s;on, in as much as he is not &s;ubiect vnto him.</HI> Then perchance the <HI>Laity</HI> is left only to the &s;take, as hauing no &s;uch warrant to exempt them from <HI>King-killing.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>In&s;tit. tit.</HI> 23. 5. 11.</NOTE> <HI>Simancha</HI> will helpe that too: <HI>As &s;oone as a Chri&s;tian King becomes hereticall, forth|with his &s;ubiects are freed from his gouernment ouer them.</HI> This is &s;hort worke indeed. But may he not then be left to <HI>Gods Iudgement,</HI> vntill it &s;hall plea&s;e him in mercy to free the people from that yoke? No &s;ure (&s;ayth <HI>Bellarmine</HI>) e&s;pecially <HI>if he go about to infect his &s;ubiects:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">De Summo pont. lib. <HI>5.</HI> cap. <HI>7.</HI> De vi&s;ib. monar. lib. <HI>2.</HI> cap. <HI>4.</HI> Pag. <HI>194.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Then they are bound</HI> (ads <HI>San|ders) as &s;oone as may be, to &s;et another in his place. They ought to expell him</HI> (&s;ayth <HI>Philopater</HI>) as <HI>the e|nemy of Chri&s;t, from hauing authority ouer Chri&s;tian people.</HI> And this he affirmes to be the <HI>vndoubted doctrine</HI> among the <HI>learned,</HI> and agreeable <HI>to Apo|&s;tolicall truth.</HI> Here is <HI>Apo&s;tolicall truth</HI> with a wit|ne&s;&s;e. But &s;uppo&s;e the Popes <HI>Apo&s;tolicall tran&s;cen|dency,</HI>
<PB N="17" REF="116"> either in pitty, or policie, hold &s;uch a <HI>King</HI> fit for a time to be &s;pared; I tru&s;t then, <HI>good Catho|lique Subiects</HI> may not venture to &s;tir. Yes but they may (&s;ayth <HI>Bannes) Etiam&s;i Pontifex tolera|ret Regem Apo&s;tatam;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">In &s;ecundam &s;ecundae, q. <HI>12.</HI> art. <HI>2.</HI></NOTE> <HI>tamen Re&s;pub. Chri&s;tiana po&s;sit illum pellere &egrave; regno, quonia~ Pontifex &s;ine ratione per|mittit illum impunitum. Though the Pope him&s;elfe &s;hould be neuer &s;o indulgent, the people, if they li&s;t, may vn-king him, becau&s;e the Pope vnrea&s;onably is &s;lack in his office.</HI> Well then, no remedie is left amo~g the&s;e men for <HI>Prote&s;tant Kings,</HI> but downe they mu&s;t. If their <HI>holy Father</HI> make &s;cruple to correct the~, their owne <HI>va&s;&s;als</HI> may take them in hand. Perchance this will worke with them to be reconciled to the Church, and then it is likely they &s;hal be re&s;tored to their e&s;tates. <HI>Simancha</HI> wil tell them al&s;o in that ca&s;e, wherunto they &s;hal tru&s;t: <HI>Nec ius hoc recupera|bunt</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>quamuis po&s;tea reconcilientur Eccle&s;iae.</HI> Once gone, &amp; for euer di&s;carded. Nay their chil|dren, though innoce~t or <HI>Catholikes,</HI> mu&s;t be puni|&s;hed for their <HI>fathers errors,</HI> &amp; be excluded for euer fro~ &s;ucce&s;&s;io~, to giue way to who~ y^e <HI>Pope</HI> plea&s;eth.</P>
<P N="8">8. I haue gleaned the&s;e few <HI>&s;catterings</HI> by the way, (Beloued) to make it appeare to tho&s;e that would willingly be better per&s;waded of their do|ctrine, that the <HI>doctrine</HI> it &s;elfe <HI>directly</HI> warranteth <HI>trea&s;on,</HI> let the traytours be what they will, and that none can bee an <HI>ab&s;olute Papi&s;t,</HI> but (if hee throughly vnder&s;tand him&s;elfe, and liue vnder a <HI>Chri&s;tian Prince</HI> that hath renounced the <HI>Popes authoritie</HI>) mu&s;t needs, being put vnto it, bee an <HI>ab&s;olute traytour.</HI> The <HI>Popes infallibility</HI> hee
<PB N="18" REF="117"> a&s;&s;umeth to make <HI>heretiques,</HI> and puni&s;h them by vertue of his <HI>Supremacie:</HI> The <HI>exemption</HI> of his <HI>Clergie,</HI> to act their owne de&s;ignes; the inter|e&s;ting the <HI>people,</HI> in the right of making of a King (whom they define,<NOTE PLACE="marg">De iu&s;ta autho|ritat. pag. <HI>8. 1.</HI></NOTE> with Apo&s;tate <HI>William Rei|nolds,</HI> in &s;corne, <HI>to be but a creature of mans creation</HI>) how can it &s;tand with <HI>loyall obedience,</HI> that God and nature haue pre&s;cribed? And now (Beloued) if the&s;e were &s;peculations onely in their <HI>&s;chooles,</HI> or <HI>&s;ome few mens</HI> ouerla&s;hing, in an emulation to vphold their owne <HI>hierarchie,</HI> or &s;ome <HI>doubtfull deductions,</HI> only taken by our men at the wor&s;t, their <HI>doctrine</HI> were the more <HI>excu&s;able,</HI> and their followers more to be <HI>borne</HI> with. But when <HI>practice</HI> &s;hall follow vpon &s;uch diueli&s;h <HI>po&s;itions,</HI> and apo|logies bee publi&s;hed to the world to maintaine that <HI>practice:</HI> then cur&s;ed be they as <HI>Meroz,</HI> cur&s;ed bitterly be all &s;uch &s;ubiects, and inhabitants that take <HI>not the Lords part</HI> again&s;t &s;uch mi&s;creants. For what eares would not tingle to heare, that Pope <HI>Sixtus,</HI> the fift, in the con&s;i&s;torie of his <HI>Car|dinals,</HI> &s;hould paralell the murder of <HI>Henry</HI> the third, King of <HI>France,</HI> by that de&s;perate vil|laine <HI>Iames Clement,</HI> with the fact of <HI>Iudith,</HI> and conclude it to be a little le&s;&s;e my&s;tery then <HI>Chri&s;ts Incarnation?</HI> For defending of the &s;ame fact, though <HI>Iohn Guiniard a</HI> Ie&s;uite were <HI>executed:</HI> yet <HI>Richeome</HI> in his <HI>apologie</HI> excu&s;eth him. <HI>Clarus Bonar&s;cius</HI> in his <HI>Theatrum honoris,</HI> extolls him to the skies. Such tokens the&s;e <HI>Ignatians</HI> leaue to Princes, of their &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion and fidelitie. What &s;hould I &s;peake of <HI>Francis Verona Con&s;tantinus,</HI>
<PB N="19" REF="117"> who wrote an apologie for <HI>Iohn Ca&s;tile,</HI> to iu&s;ti|fie his &s;tabbing, and hurting of <HI>Henry</HI> the <HI>Great?</HI> Wherein hee concludes, that <HI>notwith|&s;tanding the decree of the Councell of Con&s;tance,</HI> it is <HI>lawfull for any priuate man to murder Kings and Princes, condemned of here&s;ie and tyranny.</HI> And to come home neerer vnto our &s;elues:<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Anno</HI> 1587.</NOTE> <HI>Stanlies</HI> trea|cherous giuing vp of <HI>Deuentrey,</HI> had it not <HI>Cardi|nall Allen</HI> to defend it? Had not <HI>Oneile</HI> before, and <HI>Tyrone afterwards</HI> the determination of the Vniuer&s;ity of <HI>Salamancha</HI> to animate them on|ward in their rebellion? What maruell is it then that <HI>Garnet,</HI> and the powder trea&s;on, had <HI>Eudae|mon-Ioannes</HI> his <HI>apologie? Claudius Aquauiua's</HI> ap|probation, <HI>Bellarmines</HI> excu&s;e, <HI>Hamond</HI> the Ie&s;u|ites <HI>ab&s;olution,</HI> as <HI>Barrier</HI> in <HI>France</HI> had the Ie&s;uite <HI>Varrad's,</HI> to confirme him in his purpo&s;e, to pre|uent <HI>Rauilliac?</HI> No better fruit is to be looked for vpon &s;uch <HI>wild-figtrees,</HI> who care not what they &s;ay or doe, and turne off all &s;uch prodigies with a &s;leight or &s;corne. Becau&s;e the Scythians &s;hew their King <HI>Scyle,</HI> for fauouring the &s;trange rites of <HI>Bacchus, Simancha</HI> infers that <HI>Iure</HI> and <HI>Merito,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>In&s;t. Cath.</HI> 23. <HI>&s;er.</HI> 12. 13.</NOTE> &s;uch Princes are to be made away, as receiue any kind of doctrine differing from the <HI>papi&s;ticall.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">De reg. in&s;tit. lib. <HI>1.</HI> cap. <HI>7.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Mariana</HI> accounts it a moderate <HI>cour&s;e,</HI> to poy&s;on a <HI>chayre</HI> or garment for the <HI>killing</HI> of a <HI>King:</HI> but marke his waighty rea&s;on fot it; <HI>Becau&s;e</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>I find the Kings of the Moores haue often v&s;ed it.</HI> Where|upon <HI>Hoffeus</HI> the Ie&s;uite was wont to &s;ay (as <HI>Ha&s;en|muller,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Hi&s;tor. Ie&s;uit. cap. <HI>6.</HI></NOTE> who liued among&s;t them reports it) that they dragg'd any <HI>Lutheran</HI> they could find, &s;trait|way
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<PB N="20" REF="119"> to the fire, <HI>vt &s;ic anima eius in curru igneo ad inferos feratur,</HI> that &s;o his &s;oule in a fiery chariot might bee hurryed to hell. Wor&s;e then all this: they hold it a <HI>ca&s;e of Con&s;cience,</HI> not to &s;pare their owne &s;ide, to doe ours a mi&s;chiefe. <HI>Garnet the Pro|uinciall being</HI> que&s;tioned by <HI>Catesby,</HI> whether with <HI>a &s;afe con&s;cience,</HI> they might proceed in their <HI>pow|der-proiect,</HI> &s;eeing in the blowing vp of the <HI>King,</HI> and <HI>Prote&s;tants,</HI> diuers al&s;o of the <HI>Papi&s;ts</HI> mu&s;t nece&s;&s;arily goe the &s;ame way? replies very pro|foundly, that no doubt it might well be done, &s;ee|ing it &s;hould redound to the good of the <HI>Catho|lique Church.</HI> And this <HI>Eudaemon</HI> defends with great earne&s;tne&s;&s;e. Which puts me in minde of a &s;tory related by <HI>Platina</HI> in the life of <HI>Iohn</HI> the foure and twentieth, when one <HI>Facinus Canis</HI> was hired by the <HI>Gibellines,</HI> to &s;uppre&s;&s;e their contrary factions of the <HI>Gwelphes,</HI> in the city of <HI>Papia,</HI> and the couenant was, that he &s;hould haue the goods of the <HI>Gwelphes</HI> for his pay. Hee obtayning the victory, falls a rifling of the <HI>Gibellines</HI> al&s;o, with|out di&s;tinction: and being accu&s;ed therefore, as not &s;tanding to his promi&s;e, replies, <HI>That them|&s;elues indeed</HI> were <HI>Gibellines,</HI> and <HI>&s;hould be &s;afe;</HI> but their <HI>goods</HI> were <HI>Gwelphes,</HI> and mu&s;t goe to wrack, as well as tho&s;e of their aduer&s;aries. So a&s;&s;ure your &s;elues (Beloued) if <HI>Italians</HI> and <HI>Spaniards</HI> &s;hould once come, (which God of his infinite mercy forbid,) to compo&s;e the differences be|tween vs, and our <HI>home-bred Recu&s;ants,</HI> how&s;oeuer our <HI>blood</HI> &s;hould pay for it, yet their <HI>e&s;tates</HI> might perhaps be confi&s;cated, as infected by our <HI>here&s;ie.
<PB N="21" REF="119"> Garnets</HI> deci&s;ion would be of force; &s;uch matters mu&s;t not be &s;tood vpon, when the good of the <HI>Ca|tholique</HI> cau&s;e is thereby aduanced. O that religi|on &s;hould euer be made a cloake for &s;uch <HI>athei&s;ti|call practices!</HI> What hard mea&s;ure had bene offe|red by our <HI>King</HI> and <HI>State,</HI> that the&s;e traytours &s;hould be &s;o exa&s;perated? Were they hurried to the <HI>fire,</HI> as in <HI>Queene Marie's</HI> daies? or was there a new <HI>Inqui&s;ition</HI> erected, in imitation of that of <HI>Spaine,</HI> with tortures and racks to rectifie them? Nay, were they not tolerated at a &s;mall rate, or none at all, to enioy their <HI>po&s;&s;e&s;sions</HI> and <HI>liberty,</HI> graced with <HI>titles</HI> of <HI>Honour,</HI> admitted to be about His <HI>Maie&s;tie,</HI> and haue the <HI>protection</HI> of his lawes, without any violence offered? From whence then came the <HI>powder-plot,</HI> but from the <HI>deuill</HI> him|&s;elfe, and the malice of the whore of <HI>Babylon,</HI> which delighteth to carou&s;e in <HI>blood?</HI> But God hath <HI>&s;nared</HI> the <HI>wicked</HI> in y^e work of his owne <HI>hands,</HI> the <HI>&s;nare</HI> is <HI>broken,</HI> and we are <HI>deliuered.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;aiah 47.</NOTE> Come <HI>down therefore and &s;it in the</HI> du&s;t, <HI>&s;it on the ground, &s;it &s;ilent,</HI> O <HI>daughter</HI> of <HI>Babylon.</HI> Is not thy nakednes vnco|uered, thy &s;hame &s;eene? art thou not taken in the <HI>crafty wilines</HI> that thou ha&s;t imagined? O that our poore be&s;otted <HI>recu&s;ants</HI> would but be brought to an ingenuous examination of the&s;e things, whe|ther it were likely <HI>they</HI> would lead the~ to heauen, who deui&s;e and allow of &s;uch <HI>powder-&s;tratagems</HI> from Hell? Whether <HI>true Religion</HI> haue bene euer aduanced by &s;uch <HI>bloudy</HI> and <HI>treacherous &s;nares</HI> and <HI>engines?</HI> Then would they &s;urely afford their <HI>Higgaion</HI> &amp; <HI>Selah</HI> to celebrate with vs this day,
<PB N="22" REF="120"> this <HI>thrice-Happy Deliuerance.</HI> Which is the duty left for vs in the la&s;t place to conclude with.</P>
<P N="9">9. <HI>Higgaion, Selah]</HI> Few words, and ob&s;cure; yet importing more matter, then could be well expre&s;&s;ed in any other tongue. And therefore, as they are omitted in the <HI>Greeke</HI> and <HI>vulgar La|tine,</HI> as al&s;o in our <HI>Church-Booke tran&s;lation,</HI> by rea&s;on of their ob&s;curene&s;&s;e, and remotene&s;&s;e from popular capacities, e&s;pecially in a <HI>continuate reading</HI> without interpretation: &s;o are they faith|fully re&s;tored by our la&s;t <HI>Tran&s;latours,</HI> as inte|grall parts of the text, which are not to be left out, though the greate&s;t skill of the Learned may be &s;tagger'd at their meaning. Needele&s;&s;e therefore was the exception of &s;ome <HI>Critikes,</HI> to our Church-Booke, for not reading commonly tho&s;e words to the people, &s;eeing they haue them otherwi&s;e in a more exact <HI>tran&s;lation,</HI> and re&s;er|ued to the <HI>expo&s;ition</HI> of a learned Preacher. Some there be that &s;light both the words as interiecti|ons, expre&s;&s;ing onely a &s;udden pa&s;&s;ion, vnder an imperfect &s;en&s;e. But others diue deeper, whom we haue good rea&s;on to follow. <HI>Higgaion</HI> is but <HI>twi&s;e,</HI> be&s;ides in this place, found in the Scripture, and that onely in the <HI>P&s;almes;</HI> once in the 19. <HI>P&s;alme:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;e vlt.</NOTE> <HI>Let the words of my mouth and</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>the meditation of my heart be alwayes acceptable in thy &s;ight, O Lord, my &s;trength and my Redeemer.</HI> And a|gaine in the 92.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;e 3.</NOTE> <HI>It is a good thing to giue thankes vnto the Lord, and to &s;ing pray&s;es to thy name, O thou most high: To &s;hew forth thy louing kindnes in the morning, and thy faythfulnes euery night;</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">
<PB N="23" REF="120"> <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>Vpon an in&s;trument of tenne &s;trings, and vpon the p&s;alterie, vpon the harp with a &s;olemne &s;ound.</HI> The word Selah we haue 92. times, but but <HI>Higgaion</HI> and <HI>Selah</HI> together, onely in this place; which argueth more then an ordinarie re|ioycing, proportioned to the <HI>Prophets</HI> deliue|rance, which (out of doubt) was extraordinarie. All that I read, deriue the word <HI>Higgaion</HI> from the roote <GAP DESC="foreign">, which &s;ignifieth to <HI>publi&s;h</HI> with the <HI>mouth,</HI> to <HI>meditate</HI> with the <HI>heart,</HI> to rowze vp all the faculties, with the mo&s;t &s;erious intention. A|greeable to this is the word <HI>Selah,</HI> either from the roote <GAP DESC="foreign"> (as R. <HI>Kimchi</HI> would haue it) to <HI>lift vp, to ray&s;e,</HI> properly a way to make it the more pa&s;&s;able, or <GAP DESC="foreign"> to <HI>tread downe,</HI> to make <HI>plaine.</HI> To the &s;ame purpo&s;e, <HI>Auenarius</HI> &s;ayes, that in all the Commentaries of the <HI>Rabbines,</HI> he could ob&s;erue no certayne &s;ignification of this word: and <HI>Buxtorfius</HI> is of the minde, that it &s;ig|nifieth nothing but onely <HI>a tone,</HI> peculiar to the <HI>Mu&s;icians</HI> of tho&s;e dayes. It were endle&s;&s;e to heape vp all <HI>varieties,</HI> which either word bree|deth among the learned. <HI>Iunius</HI> makes both ioy|ned in this place, to &s;ignifie, <HI>rem meditandam &s;umm&egrave;,</HI> a matter to be e&s;pecially thought on. <HI>Vatablus,</HI> with the <HI>Rabbines,</HI> and the <HI>Chalday Pa|raphra&s;e</HI> extend it to an <HI>euerla&s;ting Meditation.</HI> They that re&s;trayne it to <HI>&s;ong, or instruments,</HI> dif|fer not in a manner from them vpon the poynt, for that which the former ob&s;erue in the <HI>&s;ubiect,</HI> they afford vs in the tune. All concurre in this, That the greate&s;t <HI>deliuerances, are to be celebrated
<PB N="24" REF="121"> with the greate&s;t thank&s;giuing:</HI> no cheerefulne&s;&s;e mu&s;t be wanting, no laudable &s;olemnity of mu|&s;ike: a&s;&s;embling, fea&s;ting, congratulation, neg|lected, in performing &s;uch religious duties. Pri|uate, and dayly, or ordinary ble&s;&s;ings may be priuately, and dayly, or ordinarily recounted, at lea&s;t with a &s;ingle <HI>Selah,</HI> a &s;tirring, or chearing vp of our particular deuotions: but for &s;uch de|liuerances as that of Eighty eyght, and this <HI>pub|like</HI> and <HI>extraordinary</HI> freeing of the <HI>Church,</HI> the whole <HI>State,</HI> the pre&s;eruation of <HI>King, Queene, Prince,</HI> all the <HI>Nobles,</HI> all the <HI>Iudges,</HI> the <HI>Reuerend Clergy,</HI> &amp; Lawyers, the <HI>Worthies</HI> of all our <HI>Country</HI> and <HI>Corporations,</HI> vpon the poynt to be blowne vp, and di&s;membred by the <HI>Deuils engine,</HI> to|gether with the vtter de&s;olation of &s;o flouri&s;h|ing a Kingdome; here a <HI>Higgaion</HI> &amp; <HI>Selah</HI> mu&s;t be ioyned together; <HI>Halleluiahs</HI> added vnto it; <HI>Trumpets</HI> and <HI>Shalmes</HI> mu&s;t be wynded aloud, <HI>A&s;aph's</HI> and <HI>Idithu's</HI> mu&s;t &s;hew their <HI>skill, new &s;ongs, new cantica canticorum,</HI> whole new &s;ets of <HI>canticles, Micthams,</HI> and <HI>Mi&s;mors, Neginoth's</HI> and <HI>Mahaloths, Tehilla'hs</HI> and <HI>Tephilla'hs</HI> mu&s;t be fra|med by the Learned. <HI>Let euery thing that hath breath, pray&s;e the Lord.</HI></P>
<P N="10">10. And here if the <HI>matter</HI> it &s;elfe rowze not your meditations, little help can be expected from any vncompo&s;ed <HI>&s;traines.</HI> You y^t haue read of &s;o many <HI>heatheni&s;h tyrannies,</HI> and <HI>Turki&s;h cruelties;</HI> you that haue had occa&s;ion to trauel amo~g&s;t any <HI>barbarous nations,</HI> or &s;auage <HI>Canibals;</HI> you that haue heard of the mo&s;t <HI>prodigious trea&s;ons</HI> and <HI>ma&s;&s;acres</HI> that
<PB N="25" REF="121"> euer were attempted, or thought on vnder the Sun; haue you euer <HI>read,</HI> or <HI>&s;eene,</HI> or <HI>heard of</HI> any mon&s;trous <HI>immanity,</HI> comparable to this of the <HI>Powder-trea&s;on?</HI> Haue euer <HI>Turkes,</HI> or <HI>Tartars,</HI> any <HI>Nero'es</HI> or <HI>Caligula's</HI> made v&s;e of <HI>powder,</HI> or &s;uch <HI>engines</HI> of furie, to ruine whole <HI>States</HI> at one blow? Nay, to blow vp their <HI>owne darlings,</HI> their own <HI>Patrones,</HI> their owne <HI>innocent kinred</HI> that ne|uer offended them; but onely the&s;e <HI>&s;puria vitu|lamina,</HI> the&s;e <HI>ba&s;tard imps</HI> of the <HI>Whore</HI> of <HI>Baby|lon?</HI> If the ruine of your <HI>liuing Countrymen</HI> had no way affected you, what had the <HI>monuments</HI> of the <HI>dead de&s;erued,</HI> that &s;o many <HI>&s;epulchres</HI> of an|cient <HI>Kings</HI> mu&s;t be layd on <HI>heapes,</HI> and vtterly defaced? what fault was in the <HI>dumbe &s;tones,</HI> and &s;tately <HI>Edifices</HI> of your Forefathers, that they &s;hould bee left as &s;pectacles of your mercile&s;&s;e cruelty? But now perchance they repent it, and are a&s;hamed of the Actors, and their cour&s;es. O no; that <HI>&s;carlet Harlot</HI> hath not learned to blu&s;h. They are pictured for <HI>Confe&s;sours</HI> and <HI>Martyrs,</HI> their <HI>zeale</HI> is commended, the <HI>State</HI> condemned for puni&s;hing their <HI>Ringleaders vniu&s;tly,</HI> and their <HI>Pro&s;elytes</HI> here among&s;t vs (which I grieue to &s;peake of) follow the <HI>&s;ame doctrine</HI> that led them vnto it, and are animated to the like attempts, when their <HI>ability &s;hall grow &s;ufficient.</HI> For marke but the&s;e few words of <HI>Bannes</HI> a <HI>Spani&s;h Schoole|man,</HI> (whom a man would take to be none of the wor&s;t, e&s;pecially in compari&s;on of the <HI>Ie&s;uites) Angli</HI> (&s;ayth he) <HI>&s;unt excu&s;andi, quia non &s;e ex|imant &agrave; Superiorum potestate, nec bellum contra
<PB N="26" REF="122"> eos gerunt, quia non &s;uppetunt illis vires ad con&s;equen|tia pericula: In</HI> 22. <HI>Aquin. q.</HI> 12. <HI>art.</HI> 2. <HI>The Engli&s;h Catholikes are to be excu&s;ed for not taking armes a|gain&s;t their Superiours, becau&s;e they want &s;ufficient power to goe through with the bu&s;ine&s;&s;e.</HI> Tolerate them then but to grow to a <HI>head,</HI> and to make their party good, and their naturall bond to <HI>Prince</HI> or <HI>Countrey,</HI> &s;hould little di&s;may them, from venturing vpon the like <HI>Powder-plots.</HI> Where be then our <HI>Higgaions &amp; Selah's</HI> (Beloued) for the &s;topping of this <HI>broode</HI> of <HI>vipers,</HI> that their force &s;hould not be an&s;werable to their malice? As the I&s;raelites had their <HI>Pa&s;cha</HI> and <HI>Purim,</HI> Holydayes &s;et apart for the acknowledgement of their grand deliuerance from <HI>Pharao,</HI> and <HI>Ha|mans trea&s;on:</HI> why &s;hould not this dayes &s;olemni|ty bee continued with euerla&s;ting thankeful|ne&s;&s;e, for the <HI>miraculous di&s;couery</HI> of the <HI>Powder-plot?</HI> Let the people learne from our <HI>Pulpits,</HI> with what kinde of <HI>Salt-peter</HI> their <HI>Catholici&s;me</HI> is powdred; let our children vnder&s;tand in our <HI>&s;treets,</HI> the barbarou&s;ne&s;&s;e of the <HI>plot,</HI> the <HI>profe&s;si|on</HI> of the <HI>actours,</HI> the <HI>danger</HI> that would haue falne on their <HI>innocent heads;</HI> If the Lord in <HI>Iudgement</HI> to the enginers, and in mercy to vs, had not pre|uented it, and <HI>&s;nared</HI> the <HI>wicked</HI> in the worke of <HI>their owne hands.</HI> At the mentioning of our <HI>Church</HI> or <HI>King,</HI> at the beholding, or remem|brance of our <HI>Parliaments,</HI> and chiefe places of Iu&s;tice, let the villany of the <HI>Powder-proiect</HI> be ne|uer forgotten. In the celebrating of the holy <HI>Eucharist,</HI> let our thankefulne&s;&s;e for this deliue|rance
<PB N="27" REF="122"> be an e&s;peciall <HI>part of our Sacrifice:</HI> Finally, let vs ioyntly <HI>conclude,</HI> as our Prophet here be|ginneth this P&s;alme: <HI>Wee will pray&s;e thee, O Lord, with our whole heart, we will &s;hew forth all thy won|derous Works. We will be glad and reioyce in thee, we will &s;ing pray&s;e to thy Name, O thou mo&s;t High. For our enemies are turned back, they haue falne and peri&s;hed at thy pre&s;ence; for thou ha&s;t maintayned our right and our cau&s;e, thou &s;itte&s;t in the Throne, iudg|ing right.</HI> Now to this God the Father, God the Sonne, and God the Holy Gho&s;t, three Per&s;ons and one Lord, who is <HI>knowne</HI> by the <HI>Iudgement</HI> which he <HI>executeth,</HI> and hath <HI>&s;nared</HI> the <HI>wic|ked</HI> in the <HI>worke</HI> of his owne <HI>hands,</HI> be a&s;cribed with <HI>Haggaion &amp; Selah</HI> all <HI>pray&s;es, power,</HI> and <HI>glory</HI> from this time forth for euermore. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="123">
<PB REF="123">
<P>HEZEKIAHS SICKNESSE AND RECOVERIE.</P>
<P><HI>A</HI> SERMON PREACHED BE|FORE THE KINGS MAIESTY, <HI>at Wood&s;tocke.</HI></P>
<P>By IOHN PRIDEAVX, Doctor of Di|uinity, <HI>Regius Profe&s;&s;or,</HI> and Rector of <HI>Exceter Colledge.</HI></P>
<P>Imprinted at London by <HI>Felix Kyngston,</HI> for <HI>Iohn Budge,</HI> and are to be &s;old at his &s;hop in Pauls Church-yard, at the &s;igne of the greene Dragon. 1621.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="sermon">
<PB REF="124">
<PB N="1" REF="124">
<HEAD>HEZEKIAH'S SICKNESSE AND RECOVERIE.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><BIBL><HI>2. CHRON. 32.</HI></BIBL>
<P><BIBL><HI>24.</HI></BIBL> In tho&s;e dayes Hezekiah was &s;icke to the death, and prayed vnto the Lord, and he &s;pake vnto him, and he gaue him a &s;igne.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P N="1">1. _MY Text is a type of the <HI>Worlds</HI> vncertainty, <HI>Mans</HI> &s;ecuritie, and <HI>Gods</HI> mercy, to tho&s;e that depend on him. Wherein wee haue a view of our <HI>mi&s;erie,</HI> with the <HI>meanes</HI> and <HI>Author</HI> of our <HI>&s;ure&s;t deliuerance.</HI> The in&s;tance is in <HI>Hezekiah</HI> a <HI>King,</HI> a fit patterne for the <HI>be&s;t,</HI> the <HI>re|medy Prayer,</HI> the <HI>chiefe&s;t refuge</HI> for the <HI>deuotest:</HI> Which is effectuall only by the <HI>good</HI> will of him in the <HI>bu&s;h,</HI> who relieueth euer at a pinch, by <HI>&s;peaking,</HI> and <HI>giuing a &s;igne,</HI> for our conuenient comfort. I will not tre&s;pa&s;&s;e on your patience, by
<PB N="2" REF="125"> a tedious rehear&s;all of the connection, with that which went before: let it &s;uffice therefore to take in by the way for an entrance, Fir&s;t, a touch of <HI>He|zekiahs</HI> laudable <HI>life,</HI> expre&s;&s;ed more at large in the 2. of Kings, the 18. and 19. chapters, all one in a manner with the 36. the 37. and 38. of I&s;aiah: And &s;econdly, of his wonderfull <HI>deliuerance,</HI> whereof I am now to &s;peake. His goodnes, and zeale is &s;ummarily heere compriz'd: Fir&s;t, to|wards the <HI>Church,</HI> The <HI>Leuites</HI> mu&s;t carrie the <HI>fil|thine&s;&s;e</HI> out of it, ver&s;e 5. The <HI>Prie&s;ts</HI> mu&s;t rowze them&s;elues vp to be carefull in their places; <HI>My &s;onnes</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>be not now negligent,</HI> for <HI>the Lord hath cho&s;en you to &s;tand before him and &s;erue him.</HI> ver&s;e 11. He re&s;toreth the <HI>Church-goods,</HI> and <HI>&s;a|crifices,</HI> by &s;trict command, ver&s;. 19. and 24. and reuiueth the ancient &s;olemnities of <HI>Trumpets,</HI> and <HI>Church-mu&s;ike,</HI> ordained, and ordred by his pre|dece&s;&s;or <HI>Dauid,</HI> ver&s;e 27. and 30. And &s;urely, the be&s;t <HI>method</HI> in a <HI>reformation,</HI> beginneth euer with <HI>God;</HI> for from thence proceeds a <HI>Ble&s;sing,</HI> to pro&s;|per all that <HI>followes.</HI> His care for the Common|wealth in the next place, comes not &s;hort of this. <HI>He fortifies his Citty</HI> (&s;ayth the &s;onne of <HI>Syrach</HI>) and <HI>by digging thorow a hard rocke with Iron, brought water into the midde&s;t thereof,</HI> Chap. 48. He built the <HI>wall</HI> that was <HI>broken,</HI> and <HI>ray&s;ed</HI> vp the <HI>towers,</HI> and another <HI>wall</HI> without, prepared <HI>Millo,</HI> made <HI>darts</HI> and <HI>&s;hields</HI> in abundance, &s;et <HI>Captaines</HI> of warre ouer his people, by the coun&s;ell of his <HI>Prin|ces</HI> and <HI>Mighty men,</HI> and his owne comfortable <HI>encouragements,</HI> ver&s;e the 3. and forward. It were
<PB N="3" REF="125"> his <HI>Courtiers,</HI> and the men of <HI>Iudah</HI> (no doubt, by his <HI>example</HI> and good <HI>directions</HI>) that copyed out the <HI>Prouerbs</HI> of <HI>Salomon,</HI> which now are a part of our <HI>Canon,</HI> from the beginning of the 25. <HI>Chapter,</HI> vnto the end of the booke (as the 1. ver&s;e of that <HI>Chapter</HI> &s;heweth.) And if we may credit the rela|tions of <HI>Genebrard,</HI> and <HI>Torniellus,</HI> he was a great Patrone of the <HI>Mathematiques,</HI> and took order for the right reckoning of the yeere by <HI>intercalation</HI> of the moneth Ni&s;an, for which the <HI>Iewes</HI> now v&s;e <HI>Adar,</HI> (as appeares in their <HI>Calenders</HI>) to the &s;ame effect. So great matters may be brought to pa&s;&s;e in a Common-wealth, where <HI>Learned men</HI> are in place, and <HI>Kings them&s;elues</HI> are <HI>learned,</HI> to giue examples and directions. All which are farther &s;ea&s;oned by his <HI>per&s;onall</HI> and <HI>inherent gra|ces:</HI> His <HI>di&s;patch,</HI> in execution, his <HI>re&s;olution</HI> a|gain&s;t Idolatrie, his <HI>re&s;pect</HI> to Gods me&s;&s;engers, his <HI>patience</HI> in affliction, his <HI>earne&s;tne&s;&s;e</HI> in prayer, his <HI>confidence</HI> in danger, his <HI>wi&s;edome</HI> in coun&s;ell, his <HI>&s;tudy</HI> to reforme others, his <HI>thanke-fulne&s;&s;e</HI> to God for all ble&s;&s;ings receiued, make his <HI>Miracu|lous deliuerances</HI> &s;eeme the le&s;&s;e &s;trange, which here may be ob&s;erued to bee <HI>Two</HI> aboue the re&s;t: the <HI>Fir&s;t,</HI> from the <HI>inua&s;ion</HI> of <HI>Sennacherib,</HI> and the <HI>Second,</HI> from his <HI>dangerous,</HI> and <HI>deadly di&s;ea&s;e.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. What might not <HI>Hezekiah</HI> looke for at Gods hands, who&s;e fauour hee had found for &s;o long a &s;pace, to preuent his de&s;ires, accept his en|deuours, pro&s;per all his actions? from whom he had receiued &s;o many comfortable promi&s;es, and me&s;&s;ages, and who&s;e <HI>Angell</HI> had &s;o &s;trangely quit|ted
<PB N="4" REF="126"> him, from &s;o heauy an enemie? yet heere we &s;ee, that among&s;t all the&s;e <HI>Ble&s;sings</HI> and <HI>triumphs,</HI> he mu&s;t come notwith&s;tanding to his <HI>tryall. For in tho&s;e dayes Hezekiah was &s;icke to the death:</HI> he mu&s;t take the <HI>&s;owre</HI> among the <HI>&s;weete,</HI> to &s;et an edge to his deuotions, and make farther way for mercies, and wonders: wherein we haue the <HI>Spiri|tuall Ge&s;ts,</HI> (if I may &s;o &s;peake) of a <HI>Chri&s;tian pro|gre&s;&s;e;</HI> From <HI>care</HI> and <HI>indu&s;try</HI> to doe good, to &s;ome <HI>temporall happine&s;&s;e;</HI> from that, to <HI>&s;ickene&s;&s;e;</HI> from <HI>&s;ickene&s;&s;e,</HI> to <HI>Prayer;</HI> from <HI>Prayer,</HI> to <HI>recouery,</HI> and other <HI>comforts</HI> and <HI>&s;ignes</HI> of Gods <HI>fauour,</HI> till all at la&s;t come home to the <HI>Court</HI> of <HI>Heauen,</HI> and there we &s;hall be freed from other changes, and remouealls.</P>
<P>The words (without farther &s;training) yeeld vs the&s;e 3. cir|cum&s;tances: <HI>Hezekiah's</HI>
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. <HI>Sickene&s;&s;e.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>2. <HI>Phy&s;ike.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>3. <HI>Phy&s;icion.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P>His <HI>Sickene&s;&s;e</HI> dangerous; his <HI>Phy&s;icke,</HI> precious; his <HI>Phi&s;icion,</HI> alwaies &s;ucce&s;full. All which mu&s;t needes be granted, his <HI>&s;ickne&s;&s;e</HI> being to <HI>death;</HI> his <HI>phi&s;ike, Prayers;</HI> his <HI>phy&s;icion,</HI> God <HI>him&s;elfe:</HI> and for memories &s;ake, may thus be connected; Becau&s;e <HI>Hezekiah</HI> was <HI>&s;icke,</HI> therfore he <HI>prayed,</HI> and becau&s;e he <HI>prayed,</HI> therfore God <HI>&s;pake</HI> vnto him, and affor|ded him a <HI>&s;igne:</HI> which farther notes vnto vs the <HI>commonne&s;&s;e</HI> of <HI>&s;ickene&s;&s;e,</HI> the <HI>force</HI> of <HI>prayer,</HI> and the <HI>readine&s;&s;e</HI> of <HI>Gods</HI> helpe, vnto &s;uch as <HI>earne&s;tly</HI> and <HI>faythfully</HI> repayre vnto him for <HI>phy&s;icke.</HI> Of all the&s;e in their order, briefly and plainely, as the <HI>Spirit</HI> of <HI>God</HI> &s;hall inable me, and your <HI>Royall</HI> pati|ence
<PB N="5" REF="126"> <HI>giue leaue.</HI> And fir&s;t, of the fir&s;t, which is <HI>He|zekiah's</HI> &s;ickne&s;&s;e, in the&s;e words:</P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>In tho&s;e dayes Hezekiah was &s;icke to the death]</HI> A &s;orry entrance to continue, if the remedy bee not the &s;ooner. For &s;ickne&s;&s;e is the da&s;hing of all <HI>worldly delights:</HI> And true <HI>happine&s;&s;e</HI> cannot har|bour, where that hath taken vp a lodging. <HI>But he that goeth on this way weeping, and beareth forth good &s;eede, &s;hall doubtle&s;&s;e come againe with ioy, and bring his &s;heaues with him.</HI> It would be tedious for you to heare, or me to vndertake the clearing of all tho&s;e doubts that Interpreters out of the&s;e words haue <HI>ray&s;ed,</HI> rather then re&s;olued. As fir&s;t, concerning the <HI>time</HI> of this <HI>&s;ickne&s;&s;e,</HI> whether it were before, or after the miraculous deliuery from <HI>Sennacheribs Inua&s;ion.</HI> Mo&s;t of the <HI>Iewi&s;h Rabbins,</HI> with <HI>Salomon Iarche,</HI> and <HI>Kimchi;</HI> &amp; the <HI>Papists,</HI> with <HI>Abulen&s;is</HI> and <HI>Lyra,</HI> together with &s;ome of reformed, as <HI>Mu&s;culus</HI> and <HI>Bullin|ger,</HI> hold that it was before. Their grounds are two: Otherwi&s;e (&s;ay they) how could <HI>Hezekiah</HI> raigne but iu&s;t nine and twenty yeeres, &s;eeing fifteene yeeres were added by miracle, after his <HI>&s;icknes,</HI> and in the fourteenth yeere of his raygne, <HI>Sennacherib</HI> came again&s;t him. Now, likely it is, that &s;o many great matters could not be di&s;|patched in <HI>one yeere.</HI> Be&s;ides, he hath a promi&s;e af|ter his &s;ickne&s;&s;e, to be <HI>deliuered from the King of A&s;syria,</HI> 2. <HI>King.</HI> 20.16. Which argueth, that deli|uerance was not pa&s;t before. Notwith&s;tanding Saint <HI>Hierome</HI> Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine, Luther, Caluine,</HI> and the <HI>maior</HI> part of our Interpreters, who take
<PB N="6" REF="127"> after them, out of <HI>Io&s;ephus,</HI> &s;uppo&s;e all the warre fir&s;t ended, before this &s;ickne&s;&s;e <HI>began.</HI> Fir&s;t, be|cau&s;e the order of the text (in all three places where it is mentioned) &s;o ca&s;teth it. And next, in all the&s;e tumults, we finde <HI>Hezekiah,</HI> either con&s;ulting with the Prophet, or praying in the Temple, or giuing directions to his people and Councel, or otherwi&s;e be&s;tirring him&s;elf, without any mention of any &s;ickne&s;&s;e. And well might all the&s;e troubles come within the compa&s;&s;e of one yeere, (as <HI>Serrarius</HI> the Ie&s;uite again&s;t his owne &s;ide granteth) to wit, that fourteenth they &s;peake of, wherein <HI>Sennacherib</HI> came, and was defeated, <HI>Hezekiah &s;ickned,</HI> recouered and liued 15. yeeres after, to make vp the nine and twenty. Now, in that God promi&s;ed to deliuer him <HI>after</HI> his <HI>&s;ickne&s;&s;e,</HI> it might not be from the <HI>A&s;&s;yrians</HI> fir&s;t <HI>Inua&s;ion,</HI> but from his returne againe, that was perchance both threatned, and feared, as the latter opinion (I thinke) more probably defen|deth. So the meaning of the text will fall out to be, (according to this interpretation) <HI>In tho&s;e</HI> dayes.] that is, not before, or amid&s;t, but after all troubles were ended, when <HI>Hezekiah</HI> had be&s;t rea&s;on to thinke him&s;elfe mo&s;t &s;ecure. When many brought <HI>Gifts,</HI> and <HI>pre&s;ents</HI> vnto him (as the words are immediately before my text) <HI>&s;o that he was magnified in the &s;ight of all Nations, then,</HI> in the <HI>middest</HI> of his <HI>Pro&s;peritie,</HI> when he (per|chance) thought lea&s;t on it, was he &s;eazed vpon with this <HI>deadly &s;ickne&s;&s;e.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. Now <HI>what manner of &s;ickne&s;&s;e</HI> this &s;hould
<PB N="7" REF="127"> be, Authours al&s;o vary; &s;ome would haue it to be the <HI>Kings Euill,</HI> as <HI>Aquila, Symmachus</HI> and <HI>Theodo&s;ion.</HI> Others, an <HI>Impostumation. Glyaus</HI> &s;ayth, that it was in his <HI>foote,</HI> which began to <HI>rot.</HI> Mo&s;t coniecture it to be the <HI>Plague,</HI> in regard of the <HI>Byle</HI> that appeared outwardly, and his ex|treme <HI>danger</HI> of life. But &s;uch coniectures be|&s;ides the Text, are vayne and needle&s;&s;e. Of like nature are the <HI>cau&s;es</HI> of this <HI>&s;ickne&s;&s;e,</HI> which by di|uers are rendred. One is thought to be the <HI>Kings</HI> refu&s;ing to <HI>marry,</HI> vpon a conceit that he was that <HI>Immanuel,</HI> the <HI>Virgins Sonne,</HI> promi&s;ed a little before to his <HI>Father Ahaz.</HI> So <HI>R. Salomon, Lyra, and Glycas,</HI> in the 2. part of his Annals. But <HI>Abulen&s;is</HI> confutes this maynely, and <HI>most Inter|preters</HI> are a&s;hamed of it. Others, with the &s;cho|la&s;ticall Hi&s;torie, affirme, that this &s;ickne&s;&s;e was a <HI>puni&s;hment,</HI> for the Kings neglect of <HI>thank&s;|giuing,</HI> after the ouerthrow of <HI>Sennacherib.</HI> But <HI>Io&s;ephus,</HI> (who tooke mo&s;t payne to be acquain|ted with &s;uch matters in the hi&s;torie of his Countrie) expre&s;&s;eth particularly the <HI>Sacrifices</HI> and <HI>Solemnities</HI> that vpon that occa&s;io~ were v&s;ed. Be&s;ides we may adde, that no fault is layd to this <HI>good Kings</HI> charge before his &s;ickne&s;&s;e, but after. More &s;afely then we may co~clude with S. <HI>Herome</HI> vpon the. 38. of <HI>I&s;aiah,</HI> That this di&s;ea&s;e was rather a re&s;traint from <HI>future pre&s;umption,</HI> then a <HI>puni&s;hment for</HI> former &s;innes. Not <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>inflicted</HI> by way of <HI>reuenge,</HI> or <GAP DESC="foreign">, as a <HI>ran&s;ome</HI> to make <HI>&s;a|tisfaction,</HI> but <GAP DESC="foreign">, or <GAP DESC="foreign">, a <HI>le&s;&s;oning</HI> for him|&s;elfe, or <GAP DESC="foreign">, an example to others, a triall for
<PB N="8" REF="128"> his in&s;truction (&s;ayth <HI>Bernard</HI>) not a for&s;aking to his <HI>de&s;truction.</HI> For how&s;oeuer <HI>all afflictions</HI> pre|&s;uppo&s;e &s;inne: yet all are not <HI>inflicted,</HI> as the <HI>pu|ni&s;hment</HI> of &s;inne, which <HI>Iobs</HI> long <HI>di&s;putation</HI> with his friends, and the Lords <HI>determination</HI> in the end, maketh mo&s;t apparent. Neither want there further proofes in this kinde. When the Di&s;ciples made que&s;tion, concerning the man that was <HI>borne blind,</HI> Iohn 9. Whether it came through his <HI>owne</HI> or his <HI>parents</HI> fault; our <HI>Sauiour</HI> denies both members of the diui&s;ion, and tells them, that it was rather <HI>that the workes of God &s;hould be made manife&s;t in him.</HI> The Tower of <HI>Siloa~</HI> fell vpon eighteene per&s;ons, not &s;o much for their &s;innes, as for the le&s;&s;oning of others, Luk. 13. Becau&s;e of the <HI>mixt cup</HI> in the Lords hand, P&s;al. 75. his children &s;ometimes are to drinke the <HI>purer wine,</HI> though his enemies &s;hall be &s;ure of the <HI>dregs.</HI> For what is this world el&s;e, but as the <HI>Authour</HI> of the Sermons <HI>de Tempore</HI> &s;hewes it, (as it were, in a Map) a <HI>vast</HI> and glowing <HI>Fur|nace,</HI> where the <HI>wicked</HI> are the <HI>dro&s;&s;e,</HI> the <HI>godly,</HI> the <HI>gold,</HI> tribulation, the fire, and <HI>God</HI> him&s;elfe, the <HI>Workeman?</HI> Is it not better therefore (&s;aith Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI>) that God &s;hould cha&s;tice thee <HI>here,</HI> then &s;pare thee here, and for&s;ake thee here|after? He would haue a Champion valiant, with|out an aduer&s;arie (&s;ayth Saint <HI>Ba&s;ill</HI>) that &s;uppo|&s;eth a iu&s;t man &s;hould be free from <HI>afflictions.</HI> For what are al &s;uch cro&s;&s;es, but as &s;o many <HI>penitential Sermons,</HI> preached by God him&s;elfe, to make vs know our &s;elues, and bring vs home vnto him?
<PB N="9" REF="128"> He that proues not a good &s;tudent in this <HI>Schoole</HI> of the <HI>Cro&s;&s;e,</HI> hath &s;mall hopes to attaine hereaf|ter to any <HI>degree</HI> in heauen. The <HI>old Testament</HI> be|gan almo&s;t with <HI>Abels &s;laughter,</HI> and the <HI>New,</HI> with the <HI>butchering</HI> of the <HI>Infants,</HI> and <HI>Iohn Bap|tists impri&s;onment.</HI> The <HI>Patriarcks, Prophets,</HI> and <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> with all Gods cho&s;en, had their part of this cup. <HI>He cha&s;ti&s;eth all that he receiueth,</HI> Pro. 3. So here, good King <HI>Hezekiah,</HI> in the height of his pro&s;perity, is remembred with a &s;ickne&s;&s;e; to minde the <HI>greate&s;t,</HI> of their <HI>frailety,</HI> and the <HI>holie&s;t,</HI> of their <HI>humiliation,</HI> and the <HI>happiest,</HI> not to de|pend vpon their owne <HI>abilities;</HI> much more the meane&s;t here &s;hould learne, with <HI>patience</HI> to vn|dergoe &s;uch cro&s;&s;es, as their betters haue borne, and with <HI>compa&s;sion</HI> not to <HI>cen&s;ure,</HI> but to <HI>comfort</HI> their afflicted brethren. For can&s;t thou murmure if God &s;hould <HI>vi&s;it thee,</HI> when thou con&s;idere&s;t that <HI>Hezekiah</HI> was &s;icke? or account thy payne too <HI>greeuous,</HI> when his was to the <HI>death?</HI> or <HI>com|plaine</HI> it comes vn&s;ea&s;onably, &s;eeing this happe|ned to him <HI>in tho&s;e dayes,</HI> wherein nothing was expected but ioy and triumphes? I &s;hould di&s;|tru&s;t your vnder&s;tandings, and religious di&s;po|&s;itions, to pre&s;&s;e this poynt furder. It is a &s;ad <HI>theame</HI> to di&s;cour&s;e of <HI>&s;ickne&s;&s;e:</HI> the remedy there|fore (I tru&s;t) will be the more welcome, which the text leadeth vnto, in the words follow|ing.</P>
<P N="5">5. <HI>And he prayed vnto the Lord] Prayer</HI> pier|ceth the cloudes, offereth <HI>violence</HI> to the <HI>King|dome of heauen,</HI> and in a manner ouer-ruleth him,
<PB N="10" REF="129"> that ouer-ruleth all things. But that this Phy|&s;ike proue &s;trong in operation, it mu&s;t be con|tinued, and <HI>feruent,</HI> as the be&s;t <HI>Doctours</HI> pre&s;cribe, and tempered with the precious <HI>ingredients</HI> of <HI>Fayth, Hope,</HI> and <HI>Charity.</HI></P>
<Q>Non vox, &s;ed votum; non mu&s;ica chordula, &s;ed cor.</Q>
<P>Not windy words, but waighty wi&s;hes, not the harpe &s;trings, but the heart &s;trings, not hee that crieth lowde&s;t, but he that loueth mo&s;t, hath the be&s;t acceptance before the Throne of grace. In this forme (no doubt) <HI>dying Hezekiah</HI> com|mended his de&s;perate ca&s;e to the <HI>Lord of life;</HI> and how&s;oeuer, the har&s;h me&s;&s;age of <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> the <HI>Pro|phet,</HI> was &s;ufficient to breake his heart, &s;o vnex|pectedly &s;ent, &s;o peremptorily deliuered, &s;o like|ly to take effect in &s;o great extremity: <HI>Set thine hou&s;e in order, for thou &s;halt &s;urely dye, and not liue:</HI> which the damnable glo&s;&s;e of &s;ome <HI>Rabbines</HI> make yet a great deale more horrid; <HI>Thou &s;halt &s;urely dye]</HI> (&s;ay they) that is, in this <HI>World: And not liue]</HI> that is, in the <HI>World to come:</HI> Yet <HI>fayth</HI> lets not goe it's hold, <HI>hope</HI> would not be per&s;wa|ded, but that God would be intreated; he had heard of his mercies of old, and had ta&s;ted of the &s;weetne&s;&s;e of them in all the pa&s;&s;age of his life; and therefore he now re&s;olues to imploy his expiring &s;pirits, and ga&s;ping breath, as long as they &s;hould continue, to try at the la&s;t ca&s;t, what might be obtayned. Ble&s;&s;ed King! it was Gods extraordinary grace that &s;ettled thee in this directe&s;t cour&s;e; &s;ome would &s;ooner haue
<PB N="11" REF="129"> murmured; <HI>Haue</HI> I bene &s;o <HI>carefull</HI> and <HI>zealous</HI> to doe <HI>God</HI> &s;eruice, and &s;hall this be my recom|pence, to be cut off before my time? mu&s;t I, after &s;o many fayre promi&s;es, dye thus <HI>childle&s;&s;e</HI> in my flouri&s;hing age? and is there no other order to be taken, but onely to <HI>&s;et my hou&s;e in order?</HI> Many of the like &s;peeches <HI>impatience</HI> would haue vtte|red, and perchance haue abu&s;ed the <HI>Prophet</HI> for bringing &s;uch a <HI>di&s;mall doome.</HI> But our Kings <HI>broken</HI> and contrite heart containeth no &s;uch dregs: he heares all with patience, beares all with patience, con&s;iders all with patience, and &s;o with <HI>teares</HI> in his <HI>eyes, death</HI> in his <HI>face,</HI> (yet <HI>confidence</HI> in <HI>his heart</HI>) he <HI>turnes about</HI> vnto <HI>the wall.</HI> This he did (&s;ay many Interpreters,) be|cau&s;e the Temple &s;tood that way, towards which it was their cu&s;tome to turne their faces in prayer. Saint <HI>Hierome</HI> takes the rea&s;on to be ra|ther, that the &s;tanders by might not behold his teares: and <HI>Lyra,</HI> that they might not hinder him, as <HI>Angelomus</HI> further notes, by <HI>disturbing</HI> his deuotion. His <HI>teares</HI> may bee al&s;o thought to proceede, not &s;o much from the <HI>horrour</HI> of in|&s;tant <HI>death,</HI> or a <HI>loth to depart,</HI> from worldly <HI>plea&s;ures;</HI> or an <HI>vnmanly &s;inking</HI> vnder the extre|mity of payne (how&s;oeuer &s;uch brunts mo&s;t com|monly &s;hame the <HI>valour</HI> of tho&s;e, who hold them&s;elues mo&s;t re&s;olute:) as from a <HI>de&s;ire</HI> he had, to perfect the <HI>reformation</HI> which was be|gun; and to leaue an <HI>heyre</HI> behinde (for then he had none) to &s;ucceede in his Kingdome, and continue the ble&s;&s;ed line. For how could it chu&s;e
<PB N="12" REF="130"> but grieue him to fore-thinke on the di&s;traction that was like to en&s;ue, in a State &s;o vn&s;ettled? Ma|ny yet addicted to <HI>Idolatry,</HI> fal&s; hearted <HI>Shebna</HI> the Trea&s;urer gaping to &s;ucceed, which could not be without oppo&s;ition. Many particulars be&s;ides, (which him&s;elfe only knew,) and the world could not take notice of, might iu&s;tly occa&s;ion him to <HI>water his couch with teares.</HI> And teares in &s;uch a ca&s;e, either for <HI>publique good,</HI> or <HI>priuate e&s;capes,</HI> by <HI>Dauids practice, Ieremies Lamentations,</HI> and our <HI>Sa|uiours</HI> weeping for <HI>Lazarus,</HI> and ouer <HI>Ieru&s;alem,</HI> are warranted to bee <HI>Heroicall.</HI> Wee haue more <HI>&s;innes</HI> (Beloued) to <HI>bewayle,</HI> but <HI>fewer teares</HI> to &s;head; greater <HI>occa&s;ion</HI> to hide our <HI>faces,</HI> but le&s;&s;e <HI>contrition</HI> to doe it: many <HI>Phy&s;icions</HI> &s;hall be fir&s;t <HI>fee'd,</HI> before this remedy be thought vpon, that <HI>Hezekiah prayed vnto the Lord.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. <HI>Hee prayed.] Simon Magus</HI> had not the <HI>grace</HI> to pray him&s;elfe, but the <HI>face</HI> to intreat o|thers. I make no doubt, but here the Prophet <HI>I&s;aiah prayed,</HI> the Prie&s;ts <HI>prayed,</HI> the <HI>Courtiers</HI> and people <HI>prayed,</HI> (all were good helps, and it was their duty) yet this &s;ufficeth not <HI>Hezekiah,</HI> except he pray him&s;elfe: hee could be&s;t plead his owne cau&s;e, and commence his owne &s;uite, and haue the better audience. But to whom doth he <HI>pray? Popery</HI> was not then on foot, to pray to <HI>Saints de|parted</HI> before their images, or <HI>buying Ma&s;&s;es,</HI> or ap|plying <HI>reliques. I&s;aiah</HI> had in&s;tructed them bet|ter, that <HI>Abraham</HI> was ignorant of them, and the <HI>Brazen-Serpent</HI> was broken downe by the <HI>Kings</HI> command, and called <HI>Nehu&s;htan,</HI> that no &s;uch
<PB N="13" REF="130"> praying &s;hould be v&s;ed vnto it. He <HI>prayed</HI> there|fore (as the text hath it) <HI>vnto the Lord]</HI> and none other, him he had onely offended, his mercy he had euer found ready, his power he was a&s;&s;ured of, he alone thorowly knew his wofull ca&s;e, and therefore not as much as dreamed of the <HI>media|tion</HI> of any other. The forme of his prayer is &s;et downe in the twentieth of the 26. of <HI>Kings,</HI> and <HI>E&s;ay</HI> the 38. in the &s;ame words, to teach vs to regard that the more, which the <HI>Holy Gho&s;t</HI> vouch&s;afeth &s;o preci&s;ely to <HI>repeat.</HI> From whence if our <HI>Puritanes</HI> hope to draw any in&s;tance for their <HI>extemporary brabbling,</HI> and brawling again&s;t our <HI>&s;et formes</HI> of prayers; the text will &s;hew them, as repugnant to <HI>Hezekiah</HI> herein, as commonly they are otherwi&s;e to all their <HI>lawfull Superiours.</HI> For his prayer here was on his <HI>bed,</HI> vpon his <HI>par|ticular</HI> and <HI>extraordinary nece&s;sity;</HI> they mu&s;t vent theirs in the <HI>Church,</HI> where no &s;uch occa&s;ion is offered, to the excluding of <HI>better formes,</HI> then their be&s;t premeditation can affoord vs. <HI>Heze|kiah turned</HI> his face to the <HI>wall,</HI> that this particular reque&s;t of his might not be heard, or di&s;turbed: The gift of the&s;e me~ is vnder-valued, if their <HI>pro|&s;elytes</HI> be not about them to applaud, and admire it. More tolerable therefore it were, that they troubled not the <HI>Church</HI> more by their <HI>prating,</HI> then they helpe it by &s;uch <HI>praying.</HI> In this ca&s;e, if their <HI>conceites</HI> were not too <HI>fleeting,</HI> they might con&s;ider, that prayer is of two &s;orts, <HI>Publique,</HI> or <HI>priuate. Publique,</HI> may be either <HI>&s;olemne</HI> in the <HI>Church;</HI> or more <HI>retired,</HI> in a <HI>familie,</HI> or &s;ome o|ther
<PB N="14" REF="131"> <HI>occa&s;ioned a&s;&s;embly.</HI> Now to thru&s;t in here, with <HI>&s;udden,</HI> and <HI>vnconcocted fla&s;hes,</HI> were not only to cro&s;&s;e <HI>Scripture, Fathers,</HI> and the continuall practice of all <HI>Chri&s;tian A&s;&s;emblies,</HI> that euer de&s;er|ued the name of <HI>Churches:</HI> but al&s;o to abu&s;e &s;uch Holy <HI>meetings,</HI> by hindring the <HI>concurrence</HI> of <HI>de|uotions</HI> in <HI>knowne petitions,</HI> wherein they ought to ioyne, and the &s;aying <HI>Amen</HI> to that, they mu&s;t be <HI>&s;ure</HI> is <HI>warrantable. Priuate prayers,</HI> (I confe&s;&s;e) are of another nature, wherein diuers notwith|&s;tanding may be holpen what to &s;ay, and direct|ed, what to aske, by <HI>publike formes,</HI> though &s;uch particulars may often fall out in regard of <HI>per&s;o|nall grieuances, &s;innes,</HI> or <HI>benefits,</HI> that may dictate (as it were) an <HI>ejaculatory prayer,</HI> as the occa&s;ion &s;hall bee <HI>offered.</HI> Such was <HI>Hezekiah's here,</HI> and &s;uch were to be wi&s;hed more rife, among all &s;orts of people. Notable examples herein we haue of <HI>Iacob;</HI> O <HI>Lord God of my Father Abraham,</HI> and <HI>God of my Father I&s;aak:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gene. 32.9.</NOTE> <HI>The Lord which &s;ayd&s;t vn|to me, Returne into thy countrey,</HI> and <HI>to thy kinred, and I will deale well with thee:</HI> I <HI>am not worthy of the lea&s;t of all thy mercies, and all the truth which thou ha&s;t &s;hewed vnto thy &s;eruant. For with my &s;taffe I pa&s;&s;ed ouer this Iordan, and now I am become two bands. Deliuer me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of E&s;au,</HI> for <HI>I feare him.</HI> So <HI>Sam&s;on,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iud. 16.28.</NOTE> vpon his re&s;olution to die: <HI>O Lord</HI> God (&s;aith he) <HI>remember me, I pray thee, and &s;trengthen me, onely this once,</HI> O God, <HI>that I may be at once auen|ged of the Phili&s;tims, for my two eyes.</HI> And what are the mo&s;t part of <HI>Dauids P&s;almes,</HI> but a <HI>contex|ture</HI>
<PB N="15" REF="131"> of &s;uch heauenly wi&s;hes, aptly compo&s;ed for his owne v&s;e, and the direction of others, that ex|pect the &s;ame protection? O how would it be|come the conuer&s;ation of <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> in &s;tead of <HI>corrupt communication,</HI> and bla&s;phemous <HI>oathes</HI> and <HI>cur&s;ings,</HI> to haue their mouthes filled with &s;uch <HI>Pray&s;es</HI> and <HI>Prayers?</HI> How well doe &s;uch &s;peaches &s;ound from the mouthes of <HI>good &s;ubiects? God &s;aue</HI> the <HI>King:</HI> or <HI>Giue the King thy Iudge|ments, O Lord, and thy righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e vnto the Kings Sonne.</HI> In the warlike raigne of <HI>Dauid;</HI> we haue a large de&s;cription in Scripture, of <HI>Captaines</HI> and <HI>Worthies;</HI> but in <HI>Salomons</HI> &s;ucceeding <HI>Peaceable gouernment,</HI> of &s;tately <HI>buildings,</HI> notable examples of <HI>Iu&s;tice,</HI> flouri&s;hing of the <HI>Arts,</HI> traffiking with <HI>forraine Nations,</HI> and the like. All which are the extraordinary ble&s;&s;ings of God, and by his di&s;po|&s;all haue their turnes, and periods, which mo&s;t commonly are found in the <HI>body,</HI> as the head is <HI>affected.</HI> Where a <HI>King</HI> therefore makes the <HI>Lords Prayer,</HI> the be&s;t <HI>Prayer,</HI> the &s;ubiect of his <HI>meditati|ons;</HI> with what face may <HI>&s;ubiects</HI> be backward, in following &s;uch directions? <HI>Hezekiah</HI> (as wee all know) wanted not titles, nor trea&s;ure, nor friends, nor any other good parts, that might grace a man: and yet heere wee &s;ee in the vp&s;hot of ex|tremity, his onely refuge is <HI>Prayer.</HI> And this brings him to the &s;peech of the <HI>Phy&s;ician,</HI> which recouered him. For when he had <HI>prayed</HI> vnto the <HI>Lord,</HI> the <HI>Lord &s;pake vnto him, and he gaue him a &s;igne.</HI> Where we haue the la&s;t words of my text, and third member of my diui&s;ion, poynting at
<PB N="16" REF="132"> the <HI>Phy&s;ician,</HI> and the <HI>cour&s;e</HI> he tooke.</P>
<P N="7">7. <HI>And he &s;pake vnto him, and hee gaue him a &s;igne]</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, at &s;undry times, and in diuers manners, hath it plea&s;ed the Lord of hea|uen to &s;peake to men here vpon earth, by his <HI>Sonne,</HI> by his <HI>&s;eruants,</HI> by <HI>Angels,</HI> by <HI>men, internally, externally,</HI> in <HI>dreames,</HI> by open <HI>vi&s;ions;</HI> as <HI>Suarez</HI> vpon <HI>Aquina's</HI> third part, que&s;t. 30. <HI>Peucer</HI> in his commentary of the diuers kinds of <HI>diuination; Mencelius</HI> in a peculiar tract of the knowledge of God, doe at large declare. This &s;peaking here to <HI>Hezekiah</HI> was by <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> the Prophet, as the text, 2. Kings, 20. clearly &s;heweth. And as the ex|tremity was great, and vrgent; &s;o this &s;peaking was quicke, and comfortable, in the&s;e mo&s;t graci|ous tearmes, <HI>Turne againe and tell Hezekiah</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>the Captaine of my people: Thus &s;aith the Lord, the God of Dauid thy Father, I haue heard thy prayer, I haue &s;eene thy teares; Behold, I will heale thee on the third day, thou &s;halt go vp vnto the Hou&s;e of the Lord.</HI> Could there be better newes to a dying man? Yet this is not all. <HI>I wil adde</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>vnto thy dayes,</HI> 15 <HI>yeares, and I will deliuer thee and thy Citty, out of the hand of the King of A&s;&s;yria; and I will defend this City for mine owne &s;ake, and for my &s;eruant Dauid's &s;ake.</HI> This was more then could be expected, but thus it plea&s;ed the Lord to di&s;pence his fauours. Some one perchance in <HI>I&s;aiah's</HI> place, would haue here repined at &s;uch a me&s;&s;age; Good Lord, what meane&s;t thou by this? art thou &s;o <HI>&s;oone changed,</HI> or ha&s;t thou a <HI>double will,</HI> one contrary to the o|ther? Can it &s;tand with thy immutability, &s;o &s;ud|denly
<PB N="17" REF="132"> to <HI>doe</HI> and <HI>vndoe?</HI> or with my reputation, to vn&s;ay that &s;o quickly, which by thy <HI>expre&s;&s;e command</HI> I &s;o lately deliuered? The <HI>King</HI> and <HI>Courtiers,</HI> may hold me for a fal&s;e prophet, who, vpon mine owne head, &s;pake that &s;o confidently which now I mu&s;t recall? But <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> was no <HI>Ar|minian,</HI> he knew, it was no <HI>manners for</HI> him to make a que&s;tion of <HI>Gods doings:</HI> He was acquain|ted &s;o farre with his proceedings, that mo&s;t com|monly hee reueales not all that hee him&s;elfe meanes <HI>to doe;</HI> but &s;o much onely, as his Mini|&s;ters are bound <HI>to teach,</HI> and <HI>&s;eruants</HI> to <HI>learne.</HI> Whence that di&s;tinction of <HI>Diuines,</HI> into <HI>volun|tatem &s;igni</HI> &amp; <HI>ben&egrave;placiti,</HI> His <HI>reuealed</HI> will toward vs, and his <HI>&s;ecret</HI> in His eternall Coun&s;ell, notes not <HI>two di&s;tinct wills</HI> in God, (as <HI>Lombard</HI> well ob|&s;erues, and the Schoolemen on him at the 45. Di&s;t. of the fir&s;t booke of the &s;entences) but <HI>di|uers formes</HI> of <HI>&s;peaking,</HI> concerning the acts and effects of the &s;ame will. Hence among&s;t the An|cients there runnes a &s;aying, which is fathered on <HI>Gregory, Deus mutat &s;ententiam, &s;ed non con&s;ilium.</HI> Gods reuealed denunciation may be altered, but neuer his eternall purpo&s;e. For the fir&s;t may be vttered according to the di&s;po&s;ition of <HI>&s;econd cau&s;es,</HI> or our <HI>de&s;erts</HI> (as <HI>Zanchius</HI> well gathereth out of Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI>) whereas the latter de|pends vpon <HI>eternall immutability,</HI> and therefore in no re&s;pect can admit any &s;hadow of change. Now the&s;e are not <HI>oppo&s;ite,</HI> but <HI>&s;ubordinate,</HI> the <HI>re|uealed,</HI> to the <HI>&s;ecret,</HI> as <HI>part,</HI> to the <HI>whole;</HI> the <HI>reuea|led</HI> expre&s;&s;ing the meanes, whereby the <HI>&s;ecret</HI> is
<PB N="18" REF="133"> fulfilled. <HI>Salomons</HI> carriage in the famous ca&s;e betweene the <HI>two harlots,</HI> giues an in&s;tance of the like in men. Did he intend (thinke you) the bar|barous <HI>diuiding</HI> of the <HI>infant,</HI> that had no way of|fended? Yet his words at fir&s;t are, <HI>Bring mee a &s;word, diuide the liuing child in two, and giue halfe to the one, and halfe to the other.</HI> But his <HI>intent,</HI> which he <HI>concealed,</HI> is afterward expre&s;&s;ed; Giue the true Mother the liuing child, and in no wi&s;e &s;lay it: and <HI>all I&s;rael &s;aw that this was the wi&s;edome of God in him.</HI> His fir&s;t commaund then included not his <HI>purpo&s;e,</HI> but a <HI>triall,</HI> to find out the truth. And &s;o God here not peremptorily &s;ets downe what <HI>&s;hould bee,</HI> but what the Prophet was to <HI>deliuer,</HI> concealing both from <HI>King</HI> and <HI>Prophet</HI> what &s;hould en&s;ue vpon it. Where there is no more contrariety then in our <HI>Sauiours</HI> inquiry for <HI>pro|ui&s;ion</HI> for the <HI>multitude,</HI> Iohn 6. he asked <HI>Philip</HI> as it were doubtfully, <HI>Where &s;o much bread might be bought;</HI> but <HI>this hee &s;ayd to proue him</HI> (&s;ayth the text) for <HI>he him&s;elfe knew what hee would doe.</HI> The Prophets deadly me&s;&s;age therefore was true in <HI>relation</HI> to the &s;econd <HI>cau&s;es,</HI> referred to their pro|per <HI>effect;</HI> yet &s;ubordinate to <HI>Gods &s;ecret purpo&s;e,</HI> in reference to the <HI>end:</HI> the ground of all which is clo&s;ely <HI>layed,</HI> in the 17. <HI>Article</HI> of our <HI>Church,</HI> to which we <HI>&s;ub&s;cribe.</HI> Gods decrees for the <HI>end,</HI> in|clude alwaies the <HI>meanes,</HI> and therefore &s;uch threatnings &s;erue <HI>Gods children</HI> to &s;tirre them vp to <HI>v&s;e</HI> them.</P>
<P N="8">8. This v&s;e <HI>Dauid</HI> made, 2. Sam. 12. The command was peremptorie: <HI>The child that is
<PB N="19" REF="133"> borne vnto thee, &s;hall &s;urely dye.</HI> Yet the King cea|&s;ed not to fa&s;t, and weepe, as long as breath was in it, only vpon this ground, <HI>Who can tell whe|ther God will be gracious vnto mee, that the child may liue?</HI> I had not dwelt &s;o long vpon this, but that the <HI>vn&s;ettled wauering</HI> of diuers <HI>learned men</HI> a|mong&s;t vs, had giuen iu&s;t cau&s;e. Hence you may ghe&s;&s;e (beloued) how little rea&s;on the <HI>Arminians</HI> had, to take part with the <HI>Papi&s;ts,</HI> and <HI>Lutherans,</HI> to &s;lander our Church, (as for many other things) in this, that wee make good to haue two <HI>di&s;tinct wills,</HI> the one <HI>da&s;hing</HI> the other. This they referre to our <HI>Crypticall Diuinity</HI> (as it plea&s;eth the&s;e <HI>Theologa&s;ters</HI> to terme it) as though wee maintained any points in &s;ecret, that we dare not publikely to iu&s;tifie before all the World. <HI>Iunius</HI> at the beginning gaue the~ good coun&s;ell,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Con&s;iliu~ de Pace Eccle&s;iae.</NOTE> for the peace of the Church. <HI>Crocius</HI> hath par|ticularly an&s;wered <HI>Bertius,</HI> to this calumnie, in the &s;econd and third Chapter of his <HI>Parenaeticus;</HI> and all of them of late, by Gods <HI>prouidence,</HI> and your <HI>Maie&s;ties e&s;peciall furtherance</HI> (I tru&s;t) haue met with their <HI>Ma&s;ters</HI> at <HI>Dort.</HI> For &s;uch imputations are no newes to tho&s;e who are ac|quainted with the obiections of the <HI>Pelagians,</HI> and <HI>Semipelagians,</HI> again&s;t Saint <HI>Augustine, Pro&s;|per,</HI> and their followers: the Bickerings betweene the <HI>Germane Bi&s;hops,</HI> and the French, in the cau&s;e of <HI>Gode&s;call</HI> and <HI>Erigena, Scotus,</HI> the latter &s;tirres betweene <HI>Luther</HI> and <HI>Era&s;mus,</HI> the <HI>P&s;eudo|lutherans,</HI> and their <HI>oppo&s;ites, Beza</HI> and <HI>Ca&s;talion, Peter Baro,</HI> &amp; our <HI>Engli&s;h Diuines,</HI> the <HI>Ie&s;uites</HI> and
<PB N="20" REF="134"> the <HI>Dominicanes,</HI> which contention is yet <HI>fre&s;h</HI> on foote, and the <HI>Pope</HI> for all his <HI>infallibility</HI> (often vrged thereunto) dares not to decide it, but lets it &s;till runne on. Old <HI>Cumet</HI> tells <HI>Va&s;quez</HI> the <HI>Ie&s;uite</HI> in playne <HI>termes,</HI> that mo&s;t commonly tho&s;e that &s;tand mo&s;t vpon their &s;harpe wits, are found, in the conclu&s;ion, mo&s;t <HI>repugnant</HI> to <HI>grace. Ri&s;polis</HI> hath &s;et forth a <HI>picture</HI> of <HI>Aquinas,</HI> bearing downe with his <HI>Buckler,</HI> and <HI>&s;tabbing</HI> tho&s;e with his <HI>pen,</HI> that in any &s;ort &s;hall deny the whole <HI>determina|tion</HI> of the &s;econd cau&s;es, by the fir&s;t, or <HI>contingent effects</HI> by Gods <HI>immutable Decree. Nugno</HI> comes vpon them for <HI>wre&s;ting</HI> authors contrarie to their meaning, and addes that he verily thinkes they <HI>will &s;erue him &s;o too,</HI> when once he is dead, notwith|&s;tanding his direct writing again&s;t them. But to recall my &s;elfe from this digre&s;&s;ion whereof I am &s;en&s;ible, <HI>Aluarez, Bannes, Crabrera, Ripa,</HI> with the forenamed authors, &s;ufficiently &s;hew, if a man would goe no farther; That the &s;ounde&s;t School|men &s;ucce&s;&s;iuely haue euer defended in &s;ub&s;tance, concerning Gods purpo&s;e, and <HI>mans will,</HI> his <HI>grace,</HI> and our <HI>abilities,</HI> that which our Church of <HI>England</HI> at this day maintaineth. For in this they &s;hew them <HI>Schoolemen,</HI> (as they are commonly tearmed) whereas otherwi&s;e they play the <HI>&s;choole|boyes,</HI> where the Popes decrees <HI>ouer-awe</HI> them. Their learning generally being as an <HI>ouer-growne wood,</HI> among&s;t many <HI>thornes</HI> and <HI>bu&s;hes,</HI> which are good for nothing but fuell. Much good <HI>ancient timber</HI> may be found out, to &s;erue in the Lords building, whereas on the other &s;ide, <HI>Vor&s;tiu's Li|bertas
<PB N="21" REF="134"> Prophetandi,</HI> and <HI>Arminiu's Meditatio &s;ine lectione,</HI> which they, and their &s;chollers practi&s;e &s;o much, and plead for, without religious and di&s;|creet re&s;traint, would &s;et all in a combu&s;tion. How much better is it therefore for vs (Beloued) to hearken with <HI>Hezekiah vnto the Lord</HI> &s;peaking, as he doth at this time to vs, by his <HI>Word,</HI> and Mi|ni&s;ters, who ought not in that regard to be <HI>light|ly e&s;teemed of</HI> you (how&s;oeuer vnworthy in <HI>them|&s;elues</HI>) for their <HI>Ma&s;ters &s;ake?</HI> Hee &s;peakes to vs in this point, that notwith&s;tanding he <HI>often</HI> threa|ten, and &s;ometime <HI>&s;trike,</HI> yet place is left for <HI>mer|cie,</HI> where it is &s;ought accordingly. V&s;e but <HI>Heze|kiah's</HI> teares and prayers, and he is the &s;ame God, that will not only <HI>&s;peake,</HI> but giue comfortable <HI>&s;ignes</HI> of his fauour, which is the <HI>vp&s;hot</HI> of my <HI>text,</HI> and a <HI>&s;igne</HI> that I &s;hall not hold you long. <HI>And he gaue him a &s;igne.] Signes,</HI> and <HI>miracles</HI> were fre|quent among the old <HI>Patriarchs, Prophets,</HI> and the <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> with &s;ome of their <HI>&s;ucce&s;&s;ors,</HI> in the <HI>Primi|tiue Church,</HI> for the confirmation of their <HI>vocati|on, fayth,</HI> and <HI>doctrine.</HI> But the <HI>Go&s;pell</HI> once fully <HI>receiued,</HI> we are left to the <HI>text,</HI> to arme our &s;elues again&s;t <HI>Antichri&s;t,</HI> who comes with <HI>&s;ignes</HI> and <HI>mi|racles.</HI> And not to rake vp old &s;ores: who knowes not of late the practices of <HI>Father Edmonds,</HI> and <HI>Darrell,</HI> with their complices, to iu&s;tifie <HI>Poperie,</HI> and <HI>Puritani&s;me,</HI> by the ca&s;ting out of <HI>Deuils?</HI> In which kinde of impo&s;ture, &s;ome <HI>French Monkes</HI> were put of late to a hard exigent, when <HI>Verrine</HI> the <HI>Deuils</HI> di&s;cour&s;e, mu&s;t be put in print, to make good their <HI>exorci&s;mes</HI> and <HI>&s;uper&s;titions.</HI> But aboue
<PB N="22" REF="135"> all, I maruaile why <HI>Bellarmine</HI> and <HI>Gret&s;er</HI> &s;hould &s;o &s;trangely vpbrayd our <HI>Church</HI> for the defect <HI>of miracles;</HI> the fir&s;t, in the&s;e termes, <HI>Haereticos non po|tui&s;se extorquere miracula, neque &agrave; Deo, neque &agrave; Dia|bolo, ad confirmandam realem prae&s;entiam,</HI> in his 3. booke <HI>de Euchari&s;tia,</HI> and 8. Chap. <HI>The latter,</HI> in the like: <HI>Diabolum pudui&s;&s;e Lutheri doctrinam mi|raculis confirmare,</HI> in his defence of the 2. Chap. of <HI>Bellarmines</HI> fir&s;t Booke <HI>de Verbo Dei.</HI> Doe they take a pride, that the <HI>Deuill</HI> is &s;o forward to ad|uance their cau&s;e by <HI>miracles,</HI> and &s;o backward to doe vs any <HI>kindne&s;&s;e?</HI> If this be the i&s;&s;ue, we &s;hall re&s;t content with &s;uch <HI>miracles,</HI> as our Sauiour, and the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> wrought, at the fir&s;t propagating of the Go&s;pel; and when wee teach any new do|ctrine, di&s;&s;enting from this, then to ca&s;t about for <HI>new miracles</HI> to confirme it. But here a &s;igne was nece&s;&s;ary (as Saint <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> ob&s;erueth) that of the two me&s;&s;ages the Prophet brought to <HI>Heze|kiah,</HI> in &s;hew contradictory, he might be a&s;&s;ured on which to depend.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Kings 20.11.</NOTE> The <HI>&s;igne</HI> that is here only mentioned in the <HI>generall,</HI> is another-where par|ticularly &s;et downe to bee, <HI>the going back of the Sunne,</HI> or at lea&s;t <HI>the &s;hadow, ten degrees</HI> in King <HI>A|haz Diall,</HI> where no doubt can be amo~g Interpre|ters, <HI>whether</HI> it were done or no, but of the <HI>manner how</HI> it might po&s;&s;ibly be accompli&s;hed. Of the <HI>&s;tanding &s;till</HI> of the <HI>Sunne,</HI> &s;ome in&s;tances are gi|uen: one was, at the reque&s;t of Father <HI>Mutius</HI> an <HI>Hermite,</HI> who going to vi&s;it a &s;icke per&s;on, was like to be benighted, had not the <HI>Sunne halfe only</HI> aboue the <HI>Hori&s;on,</HI> for diuers houres &s;tayed his
<PB N="23" REF="135"> <HI>lea&s;ure,</HI> till he came to his <HI>patient,</HI> as 'tis told vs in <HI>vitis Patrum, lib.</HI> 1. <HI>cap.</HI> 16. Another is brought by <HI>Turpine,</HI> in the life of <HI>Charles</HI> the <HI>Great,</HI> the 28. Chap. for a more <HI>notable</HI> &s;tay of the <HI>Sunne</HI> in one place, for aboue <HI>three dayes</HI> together, to gratifie that Emperour in the purfuite of his enemies. A third is out of the fir&s;t booke of <HI>Chron.</HI> 4. chap. 22. made good only by the <HI>vulgar Latine</HI> edition, which readeth, <HI>Et qui &s;tare fecit &s;olem.]</HI> This la&s;t much troubled <HI>Torniellus,</HI> otherwi&s;e a diligent <HI>Hi&s;torian,</HI> &s;o that he profe&s;&s;eth ingenuou&s;ly in his <HI>Annals,</HI> that he knowes not what to make of it. But the fir&s;t, <HI>Serrarius</HI> the <HI>Ie&s;uite</HI> will &s;carce admit for a <HI>truth.</HI> The &s;econd, <HI>Baronius</HI> reiects for a lye, and the third, all may &s;ee depends on a fal&s;e <HI>tran&s;|lation.</HI> For whereas our Engli&s;h <HI>Doway Bibles</HI> render word for word, out of the <HI>vulgar Latine; And Hee that made the Sunne to &s;tand.]</HI> The Origi|nall hath nothing but <GAP DESC="foreign">, the <HI>Septuagint,</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, our Engli&s;h, and all other that I haue &s;eene, <HI>And Iokim]</HI> the proper name of a man, one of <HI>Iudah's</HI> po|&s;teritie. And therefore they mu&s;t needs be <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>Men of Lying</HI> (as corruptly almo&s;t they render the very next words) who would make that to &s;ignifie the &s;tanding <HI>&s;till of the Sunne.</HI> Whence we may ob&s;erue by the way, what pure Text the <HI>Councell</HI> of <HI>Trent</HI> would put vpon vs for <HI>authenticall,</HI> if we would take it in <HI>gro&s;&s;e:</HI> And how palpably our <HI>peeui&s;h Recu&s;ants</HI> in &s;uch ca&s;es are a|bu&s;ed, in depending on &s;uch men, who care not with what <HI>huskes</HI> they <HI>feede</HI> them. Once this is certaine, that both <HI>Sunne</HI> and <HI>Moone</HI> &s;tood &s;till
<PB N="24" REF="136"> together for a whole dayes &s;pace, in <HI>Io&s;hua's</HI> time. But here the <HI>miracle</HI> &s;eemes <HI>greater,</HI> in <HI>going backe of the &s;ame tenne degrees,</HI> e&s;pecially as it is by mo&s;t Interpreters expre&s;&s;ed.</P>
<P N="10">10 For they &s;uppo&s;e, the Sunne had then pa&s;|&s;ed forward <HI>tenne degrees</HI> in the Diall, before the miracle began: &s;o that <HI>two onely</HI> wanted for his <HI>&s;etting.</HI> Tenne then &s;pent in the <HI>going backe,</HI> to the <HI>point</HI> of his <HI>ri&s;ing,</HI> and tenne to <HI>returne</HI> to the <HI>point</HI> where it was fir&s;t, makes that one <HI>artificiall day</HI> aboue thirty houres; whereas that of <HI>Io&s;huah</HI> (for ought we finde) and of which the <HI>text</HI> &s;ayes, there was <HI>neuer the like before or after,</HI> could not be aboue 24. Now if the Sunne were here po&s;ted <HI>forth,</HI> and back in an <HI>in&s;tant,</HI> (as &s;ome would &s;alue the matter) how could the motion of the <HI>&s;hadow</HI> in the <HI>Dyall</HI> be di&s;tinctly di&s;cerned? And to put <HI>halfe degrees</HI> for whole, (as others would mend the reckoning) the text will hardly beare. To let pa&s;&s;e then, what explication heere might ari&s;e from <HI>Copernicus</HI> mouing of the earth, or <HI>Tycho Brahe's</HI> fixing of the <HI>Sunne,</HI> as the <HI>center</HI> of <HI>motion</HI> to the re&s;t of the <HI>Planets;</HI> or <HI>Fraca&s;torius multitude</HI> of <HI>Homocentricks:</HI> take but the old <HI>re|ceiued grounds,</HI> either of <HI>eight Orbes,</HI> with <HI>Ari&s;totle,</HI> or <HI>nine,</HI> with <HI>Ptolomie,</HI> or <HI>tenne,</HI> with <HI>Alphon&s;us,</HI> or now at the la&s;t, of <HI>eleuen</HI> with <HI>Maginus</HI> and <HI>Cla|uius,</HI> not excluding their <HI>Excentricks, Concen|trickes, Epicycles,</HI> yea and <HI>Excentrepicycles,</HI> which they make belonging vnto them, to &s;alue all ap|pearances, and a world of difficulties would fol|low, if with this <HI>Sunnes retrogradation,</HI> all the <HI>hea|uenly
<PB N="25" REF="136"> Orbes,</HI> according to the &s;ame proportion, moued not <HI>backward.</HI> Be&s;ides the <HI>di&s;ordering</HI> of the <HI>Starres a&s;pects,</HI> and <HI>di&s;ta~ces</HI> one vnto the other, tho&s;e that take away all <HI>Orbes,</HI> &amp; leaue the <HI>&s;tarres</HI> to <HI>flye</HI> like birds in the <HI>ayre,</HI> without the <HI>&s;ame mi|racle</HI> wrought likewi&s;e in all, will not be able to <HI>auoid.</HI> To be quitted therefore from this trou|ble, <HI>Burgen&s;is</HI> thinkes it &s;afer, with <HI>Abarbinell,</HI> to affirme, that the <HI>Sunne kept</HI> his <HI>cour&s;e,</HI> and the <HI>heauens</HI> their order, and the <HI>day</HI> his <HI>length:</HI> but the <HI>&s;hadow,</HI> contrary to his nature, was <HI>miraculou&s;ly</HI> brought <HI>backe.</HI> With tho&s;e accord <HI>Arias Monta|nus, Bullinger,</HI> and &s;ome others: And their rea|&s;ons are, fir&s;t, Otherwi&s;e the <HI>miracle</HI> would haue bin as con&s;picuous in <HI>other Dyals,</HI> as in that of <HI>Ahaz:</HI> And the whole world (amazed at the Prodigie) would in tho&s;e dayes haue yeelded &s;ome <HI>forraine Mathematicians,</HI> to haue recor|ded it. Be&s;ides, the Text euery where in&s;i&s;teth vpon the <HI>&s;hadow,</HI> and but once mentioneth the <HI>Sunne,</HI> and then not <HI>going backe</HI> in the <HI>heauen,</HI> but <HI>brought back</HI> in <HI>Ahaz his Dyall.</HI> To that which is obiected out of the 31. ver&s;, that notice was taken of this in <HI>other Countryes,</HI> &s;eeing &s;ome were <HI>&s;ent fro~ Babylon,</HI> to inquire of the <HI>wonder,</HI> they an&s;were out of the &s;ame place: <HI>They came to &s;ee the wonder that was done in the Land:</HI> wherof they <HI>might heare,</HI> not of the going <HI>backe</HI> of the <HI>Sunne,</HI> and the dayes <HI>miraculous length,</HI> which at <HI>home they had &s;eene:</HI> I am not ignorant how <HI>Mathew Toring</HI> replies on this of <HI>Burgen&s;is,</HI> If (&s;ayth he) the <HI>&s;hadow</HI> &s;hould yeeld vs this <HI>miracle,</HI> without the <HI>Sunne,</HI> then
<PB N="26" REF="137"> God &s;hould be put to creare a <HI>new light,</HI> which &s;hould haue a-<HI>motion</HI> without a &s;ubiect, and be <HI>brighter</HI> then the <HI>Sunne,</HI> to ob&s;cure his <HI>&s;hadow,</HI> and make his owne apparent. But to this <HI>Burgen&s;is</HI> might an&s;were, that God might &s;o <HI>inflect,</HI> and di&s;po&s;e the <HI>Sunne-beames,</HI> (which naturally are darted out at a right line) to ca&s;t a &s;hadow forth or back, from any <HI>gro&s;se bodie,</HI> as His wi&s;edome &s;hould hold mo&s;t conuenient. How&s;oeuer, a great <HI>miracle</HI> it mu&s;t needs be, and no le&s;&s;e per|chance, to finde the <HI>&s;hadow goe backe,</HI> when the <HI>Sunne</HI> keepes his <HI>cour&s;e,</HI> as the <HI>Sunne</HI> to change his <HI>cour&s;e,</HI> and the <HI>&s;hadow</HI> to attend on it. In this difference (being out of my profe&s;&s;ion) I take not vpon me to be <HI>vmpire.</HI> We may make v&s;e of both. In the fir&s;t, a <HI>good King</HI> re&s;embles the <HI>Sunne,</HI> that giueth life and influence to all the re&s;t of the <HI>&s;tarres,</HI> cannot haue his <HI>cour&s;e &s;tayed,</HI> but by an <HI>almighty hand,</HI> and leaueth <HI>darkene&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>horrour,</HI> when&s;oeuer he departeth. In the &s;e|cond, our life is a <HI>&s;hadow,</HI> euery minute mouing <HI>forward,</HI> in the <HI>Diall</HI> of our time, which none can <HI>&s;top,</HI> or &s;et backe, but he that gaue <HI>Hezekiah</HI> a <HI>&s;igne.</HI> And &s;ignes he giueth al&s;o to vs (Beloued) of his extraordinarie mercies and <HI>fauour,</HI> in a|nother kind, if our vnthankfulne&s;&s;e would but take notice of what we fully enioy: A mo&s;t gra|cious Soueraigne, a flouri&s;hing Church, a peace|able Common-wealth, <HI>reward for vertue, puni&s;h|me~t for vice.</HI> Infinite &s;uch <HI>&s;ignes</HI> may be reckoned; but what reformation they worke in vs, our own con&s;cience can be&s;t informe vs. <HI>Theodoricus,</HI> Arch|bi&s;hop
<PB N="27" REF="137"> of <HI>Colen,</HI> mentioned by <HI>Aeneas Syluius,</HI> in the &s;econd booke of his Commentaries of the deeds of <HI>King Alphon&s;us,</HI> when the <HI>Emperour Si|gi&s;mund</HI> demanded him of the <HI>directe&s;t cour&s;e</HI> to happine&s;&s;e: Performe (&s;aith he) <HI>when thou art well, what thou promi&s;ed&s;t when thou wert &s;icke.</HI> And ble&s;&s;ed are they that &s;o are <HI>vi&s;ited by Gods hand,</HI> that they <HI>pray</HI> with <HI>Hezekiah;</HI> and &s;o <HI>pray,</HI> that <HI>God</HI> may <HI>&s;peake vnto them;</HI> and &s;o <HI>&s;peake,</HI> that &s;ignes accompany it of his mercifull fauour. The grace of our Lord <HI>Ie&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> the loue of <HI>God</HI> the <HI>Father,</HI> and the fellow&s;hip of the <HI>Holy Gho&s;t</HI> be with vs all euermore. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</GROUP>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
